ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, July 1, 2010
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Genetic basis of alopecia areata -- one of most common causes of hair loss (July 1, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered eight genes that underpin alopecia areata, one of the most common causes of hair loss. Since many of the genes are also implicated in other autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, this discovery may soon lead to new treatments for the 5.3 million Americans suffering from hair loss caused by alopecia areata. ... > full story
Ongoing pregnancy rates from vitrified eggs as good as those from fresh, study shows (July 1, 2010) -- Embryos derived from oocytes (eggs) cryopreserved by the vitrification method are just as likely to produce an on-going pregnancy as those involving fresh oocytes. These research results will make egg donation both easier and safer in the future. ... > full story
New temperature table may help reduce heat-related deaths of children in closed cars (July 1, 2010) -- A team of researchers has developed an easy-to-use table of vehicle temperature changes that may help public officials and media remind the public about the deadly consequences of vehicle-related hyperthermia in children. ... > full story
Experiencing different cultures enhances creativity (July 1, 2010) -- Creativity can be enhanced by experiencing cultures different from one's own, according to a new study. ... > full story
Key enzyme in fetal heart development also involved in adult heart disease, study shows (July 1, 2010) -- Scientists have identified for the first time an enzyme that plays vital roles in both fetal heart development and in causing cardiac hypertrophy -- an enlargement of the heart -- in adults. The discovery could be used in the future to try to develop new treatments for heart disease. ... > full story
New non-surgical treatment for uterine fibroids can improve quality of life (July 1, 2010) -- A new, effective, non-surgical treatment for uterine fibroids can help women with this condition maintain their fertility. The outcome of two Phase II clinical trials of ulipristal acetate has significant implications for both infertility and general gynecology patients. ... > full story
US plan to pay hospitals for performance could hurt those in less-advantaged areas, study says (July 1, 2010) -- The nationwide implementation of hospital pay-for-performance threatens to act as a "reverse Robin Hood," according to a new study. ... > full story
Cheap, simple, noninvasive blood test may replace invasive diagnostic techniques in early pregnancy (June 30, 2010) -- Researchers in the Netherlands believe they are on the verge of developing a simple, prenatal blood test that would be able to detect accurately chromosomal abnormalities in the developing fetus. At present, the only reliable way to do this is through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, both of which are invasive and carry the risk of triggering a miscarriage. ... > full story
Chromosomal variations found in early passage female embryonic stem cells (June 30, 2010) -- Scientists have uncovered that variations in X chromosome inactivation take place in very early passages of female human embryonic stem cells lines, information that will play an important role in ensuring the safety of cells grown for therapeutic use and a discovery that also may have implications in the development of cancer. ... > full story
Researchers work to prevent neurological diseases (June 30, 2010) -- Many diseases of brain function, such as epilepsy and schizophrenia, are caused by problems in how neurons communicate with each other. Researchers are analyzing these commands and connections in an attempt to prevent those diseases. ... > full story
Drivers mistakenly believe winter is most dangerous travel time, survey shows (June 30, 2010) -- Most Americans interviewed in a national poll believe winter is the most dangerous time for driving, but the truth is that summer is the most dangerous time with 4th of July weekend being the deadliest. ... > full story
Cancer drug shows promise for treating a wide range of inflammatory diseases (June 30, 2010) -- Those looking for a new treatment for a range of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus may need to look no further than a drug already available for treating cancer. Japanese scientists have used mice to show that bortezomib induces cell death only in harmful (active and proliferating) T cells, leaving the rest unharmed. ... > full story
Key mechanism links virgin olive oil to protection against breast cancer (June 30, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have discovered a key mechanism by which virgin olive oil, in contrast to other vegetable oils, protects the body against breast cancer. ... > full story
Is your left hand more motivated than your right hand? (June 30, 2010) -- Motivation doesn't have to be conscious; your brain can decide how much it wants something without input from your conscious mind. Now a new study shows that both halves of your brain don't even have to agree. Motivation can happen in one side of the brain at a time. ... > full story
Impulsive, weak-willed or just too much dopamine? Brain study highlights role of dopamine in impulsive behavior (June 30, 2010) -- It's a common scenario: you're on a diet, determined to give up eating cakes, but as you pass the cake counter, all resolve disappears. Now, scientists have shed light on the brain processes that affect our will-power and make us act impulsively. ... > full story
Nitrate in beetroot juice lowers blood pressure, study finds (June 30, 2010) -- The nitrate content of beetroot juice is the underlying cause of its blood pressure lowering benefits, research reveals. A new study finds that blood pressure was lowered within 24 hours in people who took nitrate tablets, and people who drank beetroot juice. ... > full story
Olympic gold? A new effect of caffeine boosts performance (June 30, 2010) -- UK scientists show for the first time that high doses of caffeine directly increase muscle power and endurance during sub-maximal activities, which in humans ranges from everyday activities to running a marathon. With no current regulations in place, the scientists believe their findings may have implications for the use of caffeine in sport to improve performance. ... > full story
How dietary supplement may block cancer cells (June 30, 2010) -- A new study shows how a substance produced when eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts can block the proliferation of cancer cells. Earlier evidence indicates that the substance indole-3-carbinol may have anticancer effects and other health benefits. The new study discovered that I3C causes the destruction of another molecule, called Cdc25A, which is essential for cell division and proliferation, and in this way blocks breast cancer cell growth. ... > full story
Understanding how folic acid might help heal brain and spinal cord injuries (June 30, 2010) -- Babies born to women who do not consume enough folic acid are at high risk of developing neural tube defects. This is the reason underlying the recommendation that women who are pregnant take a folic acid supplement. New research using rodents now suggests how folic acid might also help promote healing in injured brain and spinal cord. ... > full story
Venetian blinds can cause accidental strangulation (June 30, 2010) -- A pediatrician is calling for Venetian blinds to be redesigned to safeguard babies and toddlers from accidentally being strangled to death by the looped cords. ... > full story
Mystery unraveled: How asbestos causes cancer (June 30, 2010) -- More than 20 million people in the US, and many more worldwide, who have been exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma, a malignant cancer of the membranes that cover the lungs and abdomen that is resistant to current therapies. Moreover, asbestos exposure increases the risk of lung cancer among smokers. For the past 40 years researchers have tried to understand why asbestos causes cancer. ... > full story
Treating depression with Omega-3: Encouraging results from largest clinical study (June 30, 2010) -- The use of Omega-3 supplements is effective among patients with major depression who do not have anxiety disorders, according to a recent clinical study -- the largest ever conducted assessing Omega-3's efficacy in treating major depression. ... > full story
IVF linked to autism, Israeli study suggests (June 30, 2010) -- Scientists in Israel have reported a strong link between IVF and mild to moderate cases of autism. In their study, 10.5% of 461 children diagnosed with a disorder on the autism spectrum were conceived using IVF, a significantly higher number than the 3.5% autism rate in the general Israeli population. ... > full story
Spinal cord stimulation may benefit Parkinson's patients (June 30, 2010) -- Spinal cord stimulation may be able to modulate Parkinson's disease symptoms, recent research suggests. ... > full story
Near-normal blood sugar target did not delay risk of organ damage in people with diabetes, study finds (June 30, 2010) -- In people with longstanding type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for heart attack and stroke, lowering blood sugar to near-normal levels did not delay the combined risk of diabetic damage to kidneys, eyes, or nerves, but did delay several other signs of diabetic damage, a study has found. The intensive glucose treatment was compared with standard glucose control. ... > full story
Smarter lunchrooms lead kids to eat more salad (June 30, 2010) -- In a year-long study in an upstate New York middle school, researchers examined the effect of moving the salad bar to a more prominent location in the cafeteria. Results show that sales of certain salad bar items increased by 250-300 percent. ... > full story
Engineered antibodies directed against a promising therapeutic target on ovarian cancer cells (June 30, 2010) -- Stealthy and stubborn, ovarian cancer is a particularly vexing malignancy, difficult to diagnose in early stages and difficult to treat once it progresses further. However, research is now focusing on one of the most promising new approaches to dealing with the disease -- using engineered antibodies to target tumor cells while leaving healthy cells intact. ... > full story
Eye study finds two therapies slow diabetic eye disease progression (June 30, 2010) -- In high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Americans. ... > full story
Large medical center reduces cumulative radiation exposure and CT scans through imaging algorithm, study finds (June 30, 2010) -- A large, academic medical center implemented an imaging algorithm that allowed radiologists to successfully reduce the cumulative radiation exposure and number of computed tomography (CT) angiography and CT perfusion studies performed on patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages (a form of stroke), according to a new study. ... > full story
Scholar calls for a new legal, ethical framework for research with human tissue specimens (June 30, 2010) -- A bioethics expert says a new legal and ethical framework needs to be placed around the donation and banking of human biological material, one that would more clearly define the terms of the material's use -- and address donor expectations before research begins. ... > full story
Combination MMRV vaccine linked with two-fold risk of seizures, study finds (June 29, 2010) -- The combination vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox is associated with double the risk of febrile seizures for 1- to 2-year-old children compared with same-day administration of the separate vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella and the varicella vaccine for chicken pox. Funded by the US Centers for Disease Control, the study analyzed 459,000 children 1 to 2 years old from numerous health systems across the US receiving their first dose of measles-containing vaccine. ... > full story
No link between diabetes drug rosiglitazone and increased rate of heart attack, study finds (June 29, 2010) -- The diabetes drug rosiglitazone has been under intense scrutiny since a 2007 study linked the drug's use with increased risk of heart attack and death from heart disease. Now, in a post-trial analysis of results from an international clinical trial of diabetes patients with cardiovascular disease, researchers at several major centers across the country report no increased rate of heart attack or death in patients taking the drug. ... > full story
Despite countless changes, original HIV infection lurks within (June 29, 2010) -- Scientists have been surprised to learn that, despite thousands of changes that viruses like HIV undergo in rapid fashion to evade the body's immune system, the original version that caused the infection is still present in the body months later. ... > full story
Weight and children with developmental coordination disorder (June 29, 2010) -- Children with developmental coordination disorder are at greater risk of being overweight or obese, according to a new study. ... > full story
Age doesn't necessarily affect decision-making, study shows (June 29, 2010) -- Many people believe that getting older means losing a mental edge, leading to poor decision-making. But a new study shows that when it comes to making intuitive decisions -- using your "gut instincts" -- older adults fare as well as their juniors. The study found that education plays a key role as well. ... > full story
Surprising find may yield new avenue of treatment for painful herniated discs (June 29, 2010) -- An immune cell known to cause chronic inflammation in autoimmune disorders has been identified as a possible culprit in low back pain associated with herniated discs, according to doctors. ... > full story
Can too much HDL be harmful to women with type 1 diabetes? (June 29, 2010) -- Elevated blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol, typically thought to protect against heart disease, may do the opposite in women with type 1 diabetes, according to new research. ... > full story
New formula gives first accurate peak heart rate for women (June 29, 2010) -- A new gender-based formula based on a large study provides a more accurate estimate of the peak heart rate a healthy woman should attain during exercise. It also will more accurately predict the risk of heart-related death during a stress test. Researchers found women's normal peak rate is lower than men's. ... > full story
New drugs to relieve cancer pain (June 29, 2010) -- Researchers in the UK and Italy have collaborated to develop new drugs which have the potential to relieve cancer pain without causing many of the side effects of current pain-treatments like morphine. ... > full story
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