ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, March 7, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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New approach for treating genetic muscle wasting disease shows promise in mice (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered that a drug called fasudil can extend the average lifespan of mice with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) from 30.5 days to more than 300 days, and increase the size of muscle fibers. SMA is the leading inherited cause of death in infants and toddlers, affecting approximately 25,000 people in Canada and the United States. ... > full story

Responding to the radiation threat (March 6, 2012) -- Researchers are developing a promising treatment for safely decontaminating humans exposed to radioactive actinides from a major radiation exposure event, such as a nuclear reactor accident or a "dirty bomb" terrorist attack. The treatment, which can be administered as a pill that can result in the excretion of approximately 90-percent of the actinide contaminants within 24 hours, has been advanced through the initial pre-clinical phases. ... > full story

Basque roots revealed through DNA analysis (March 6, 2012) -- The Genographic Project has announced the most comprehensive analysis to date of Basque genetic patterns, showing that Basque genetic uniqueness predates the arrival of agriculture in the Iberian Peninsula some 7,000 years ago. Through detailed DNA analysis of samples from the French and Spanish Basque regions, the team found that Basques share unique genetic patterns that distinguish them from the surrounding non-Basque populations. ... > full story

Specific antibodies halt Alzheimer's disease in mice (March 6, 2012) -- Antibodies that block the process of synapse disintegration in Alzheimer's disease have been identified, raising hopes for a treatment to combat early cognitive decline in the disease. ... > full story

With the right photo, your Facebook text profile hardly matters (March 6, 2012) -- In most cases, your profile photo on Facebook tells viewers what they need to know to form an impression of you -- no words are necessary, new research suggests. College students who viewed a Facebook photo of a fellow student having fun with friends rated that person as extraverted -- even if his profile said he was "not a big people-person." ... > full story

Vegetarian cutlet: New method to prepare a meat substitute (March 6, 2012) -- It looks like a cutlet, it's juicy and fibrous like a cutlet, and it even chews with the consistency of a real cutlet -- but the ingredients are 100 percent vegetable. Researchers are using a new method to prepare a meat substitute that not only tastes good, but is also environmentally sustainable. ... > full story

Scientists pinpoint how vitamin D may help clear amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer's (March 6, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the intracellular mechanisms regulated by vitamin D3 that may help the body clear the brain of amyloid beta, the main component of plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease. The early findings show that vitamin D3 may activate key genes and cellular signaling networks to help stimulate the immune system to clear the amyloid-beta protein. ... > full story

Influencing stem cell fate: New screening method helps scientists identify key information rapidly (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a powerful analytical method that they have used to direct stem cell differentiation. Out of millions of possibilities, they rapidly identified the chemical and physical structures that can cue stem cells to become osteocytes, cells found in mature bone. Researchers can use the method, called nanocombinatorics, to build enormous libraries of physical structures varying in size from a few nanometers to many micrometers for addressing problems within and outside biology. ... > full story

Most weight loss supplements are not effective (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have reviewed the body of evidence around weight loss supplements and has bad news for those trying to find a magic pill to lose weight and keep it off -- it doesn't exist. ... > full story

New brain imaging and computer modeling predicts autistic brain activity and behavior (March 6, 2012) -- New research provides an explanation for some of autism's mysteries and gives scientists clear targets for developing intervention and treatment therapies. Scientists used brain imaging and computer modeling to show how the brain's white matter tracts -- the cabling that connects separated brain areas -- are altered in autism and how these alterations can affect brain function and behavior. ... > full story

Two heads are not always better than one (March 6, 2012) -- From the corporate boardroom to the kitchen table, important decisions are often made in collaboration. But are two -- or three or five -- heads better than one? Not always, according to new research. "People who make judgments by working with someone else are more confident in those judgments. ... > full story

Unnecessary induction of labor increases risk of cesarean section and other complications, study suggests (March 6, 2012) -- A new study reveals that induction of labor at term in the absence of maternal or fetal indications increases the risk of cesarean section and other postpartum complications for the woman, as well as neonatal complications. ... > full story

Gene therapy approach to grow blood vessels in ischemic limbs (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists can offer new hope that people with atherosclerotic disease may one day be able to avoid limb amputation related to ischemia. New research suggests that the delivery of genes for two molecules naturally produced by the body, called "PDGF-BB" and "VEGF" may successfully cause the body to grow new blood vessels that can save ischemic limbs. ... > full story

Exercise and caffeine change your DNA in the same way, study suggests (March 6, 2012) -- When healthy but inactive men and women exercise for a matter of minutes, it produces a rather immediate change to their DNA. Perhaps even more tantalizing, the study suggests that the caffeine in your morning coffee might also influence muscle in essentially the same way. ... > full story

With extra gene, mice are footloose and cancer free (March 6, 2012) -- In a perfect world, we could eat to our heart's content without sacrificing our health and good looks, and now it appears that maybe we can. Mice with an extra dose of a known anti-cancer gene lose weight even as their appetites grow. Not only that, but according to new research, the animals also live longer, and that isn't just because they aren't getting cancer, either. ... > full story

Smaller school classes leads to better student outcomes and higher wages (March 6, 2012) -- Students who were in a small class in grades 4 to 6 had better school achievement and higher wages as adults than those who were in large classes. Smaller classes are also found to be profitable to society.   ... > full story

Blood pressure drug effective for treating PTSD-related nightmares, study suggests (March 6, 2012) -- The blood pressure drug prazosin appears to be an effective treatment to curb post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related nightmares. ... > full story

Microneedle vaccine patch boosts flu protection through robust skin cell immune response (March 6, 2012) -- Recent research found that microneedle vaccine patches are more effective at delivering protection against influenza virus in mice than subcutaneous or intramuscular inoculation. A new, detailed analysis of the early immune responses helps explain why the skin is such fertile ground for vaccination with these tiny, virtually painless microneedles. ... > full story

New H5N1 viruses: How to balance risk of escape with benefits of research? (March 6, 2012) -- In the controversy surrounding the newly developed strains of avian H5N1 flu viruses, scientists and policy makers are struggling with one question in particular: what level of biosafety is best for studying these potentially lethal strains of influenza? Experts now argue their different views of how to safely handle H5N1 flu viruses. ... > full story

Weekend smoking can damage your memory, study suggests (March 6, 2012) -- People who smoke only at weekends cause as much damage to their memory as those who smoke on a daily basis, according to new research. ... > full story

New insight into how 'chemical switch' that increases risk of stroke and heart disease risk is turned on (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists investigating a ‘biochemical switch’ linked to strokes and heart disease claim to have made an advance in understanding how it is ‘turned on’. ... > full story

Embryonic development protein active in cancer growth (March 5, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a novel protein expressed by breast cancer cells – but not normal adult tissues – that could provide a new target for future anti-cancer drugs and treatments. ... > full story

Predicting the spread of ticks across Canada (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers are watching as ticks that carry Lyme disease colonize Canada, but their research aims to predict the communities most likely to be hit by this sickness. ... > full story

Tonsils make T-cells, too (March 5, 2012) -- A new study provides evidence that immune cells called T lymphocytes, or T cells, can develop in human tonsils. The cells have been thought to develop only in the thymus, an organ of the immune system that sits on the heart. The findings could be important for improving stem-cell transplantation and for understanding the development of T-cell cancers and autoimmune diseases. ... > full story

New universal platform for cancer immunotherapy (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers report a universal approach to personalized cancer therapy based on T cells. It is the first time a system for making an adaptable, engineered T-cell to attack specific tumor types has been proposed, depending on which abnormal proteins, called antigens, are expressed by individual patients' tumor cells. ... > full story

Vitamin D intake may be associated with lower stress fracture risk in girls (March 5, 2012) -- Vitamin D may be associated with a lower risk of developing stress fractures in preadolescent and adolescent girls, especially among those very active in high-impact activities, according to a new report. ... > full story

New Alzheimer's marker strongly predicts mental decline (March 5, 2012) -- A new marker of Alzheimer’s disease can predict how rapidly a patient’s memory and other mental abilities will decline after the disorder is diagnosed, researchers have found. ... > full story

Stem cells can repair a damaged cornea (March 5, 2012) -- A new cornea may be the only way to prevent a patient going blind -- but there is a shortage of donated corneas and the queue for transplantation is long. Scientists have for the first time successfully cultivated stem cells on human corneas, which may in the long term remove the need for donators. ... > full story

Perception and preference may have genetic link to obesity (March 5, 2012) -- New discoveries suggest that fats are perceived on the tongue as a "taste" sensation by binding to specialized receptors on taste buds. More specifically, fats are broken down in the mouth to fatty acids, and it's the fatty acids that bind to these receptors. ... > full story

Discovery of a molecule that initiates maturation of mammalian eggs can lead to more IVF pregnancies (March 5, 2012) -- Women who have eggs that cannot mature will not become pregnant, and they cannot be helped by in vitro fertilization (IVF). Now researchers have identified a molecule called Cdk1 that has an important function for mammalian egg maturation. In the future this could lead to an increased rate of successful IVF. ... > full story

Scientists gain new insight into prefrontal cortex activity (March 5, 2012) -- The brain has a remarkable ability to learn new cognitive tasks while maintaining previously acquired knowledge about various functions necessary for everyday life. But exactly how new information is incorporated into brain systems that control cognitive functions has remained a mystery. ... > full story

Smart, self-healing hydrogels open far-reaching possibilities in medicine, engineering (March 5, 2012) -- Bioengineers have developed a self-healing hydrogel that binds in seconds, as easily as Velcro, and forms a bond strong enough to withstand repeated stretching. The material has numerous potential applications, including medical sutures, targeted drug delivery, industrial sealants and self-healing plastics. ... > full story

Miniature pressure sensors for medical touch (March 5, 2012) -- A new kind of flexible, transparent pressure sensor, developed for use in medical applications, relies on a drop of liquid. ... > full story

Genetic link between visual pathways of hydras and humans discovered (March 5, 2012) -- What good is half an eye? Evolutionary biologists studying the origins of vision get that question a lot, and new research points to a possible answer. New findings indicate that, even in the absence of eyes altogether, some creatures display a light-sensitivity that uses the same visual pathway that allows humans to see. ... > full story

Unraveling biological networks: Biological network motif discovery algorithms (March 5, 2012) -- A new approach to disentangling the complexities of biological networks, such as the way in which proteins interact in our body's cells has been developed. The new algorithm could allow biologists and biomedical researchers to unravel new clues about how cells work and what goes awry with such networks in various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. ... > full story

Will a genetic mutation cause trouble? Ask Spliceman (March 5, 2012) -- New, free Web-based software analyzes DNA sequences to determine if mutations are likely to cause errors in splicing of messenger RNA. When gene splicing goes awry, a wide variety of diseases can result. ... > full story

Scientists search for source of creativity (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers are working to pin down the exact source of creativity in the brain -- and have found that the left hemisphere of your brain, thought to be the logic and math portion, actually plays a critical role in creative thinking. ... > full story

Next-generation DNA sequencing to improve diagnosis for muscular dystrophy (March 5, 2012) -- Scientists have used a revolutionary new DNA-reading technology for a research project that could lead to correct genetic diagnosis for muscle-wasting diseases. The technique could be used to offer people with muscular dystrophy, or a related neuromuscular condition, a more accurate prognosis, which would enable them to make more informed choices on life decisions, including family planning. ... > full story

Spanking and genetics may increase childhood aggression (March 5, 2012) -- The risk of problem behavior during childhood — particularly for boys — is greatly increased if children have genetic predispositions for these behaviors and if they are spanked by their parents. ... > full story

Women happier in relationships when men feel their pain (March 5, 2012) -- Men like to know when their wife or girlfriend is happy while women really want the man in their life to know when they are upset, according to a new study. ... > full story

Conscious perception has little to do with primary visual cortex, research suggests (March 5, 2012) -- Imaging data suggest that conscious perception has little to do with the primary visual cortex -- the region where visual information enters the brain. From a purely intuitive point of view, it is easy to believe that our ability to actively pay attention to a target is inextricably connected with our capacity to consciously perceive it. However, this proposition remains the subject of extensive debate in the research community, and surprising new findings promise to fuel the debate. ... > full story

Stress making your blood pressure rise? Blame your immune system (March 5, 2012) -- If stress is giving you high blood pressure, blame the immune system. T cells, helpful for fighting infections, are also necessary for mice to show an increase in blood pressure after a period of psychological stress, scientists have found. The findings suggest the effects of chronic stress on cardiovascular health may be a side effect of having an immune system that can defend us from infection. There also are potential implications for treating both high blood pressure and anxiety disorders. ... > full story

Making memories: How one protein does it (March 5, 2012) -- Studying tiny bits of genetic material that control protein formation in the brain, scientists say they have new clues to how memories are made and how drugs might someday be used to stop disruptions in the process that lead to mental illness and brain wasting diseases. ... > full story

Keep smiling: Collagen matrix promotes gum healing around exposed roots (March 5, 2012) -- Receding gums often result in tooth sensitivity and can lead to decay of the root and persistent inflammation of the gum. New research demonstrates that a novel method using bovine collagen is able to enhance gum healing. This resulted in thicker margins around the tooth and, in over half the cases, complete coverage of exposed roots. ... > full story

Personality change key to improving wellbeing (March 5, 2012) -- People’s personalities can change considerably over time, say scientists, suggesting that leopards really can change their spots. ... > full story

X-rays reveal how soil bacteria carry out surprising chemistry (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how soil bacteria carry out surprising chemistry, defying a longstanding set of chemical rules and thus paving the way for new synthesis of polyether drugs. ... > full story

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