ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Monday, July 12, 2010
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Fat cells play key role in development of type 2 diabetes (July 12, 2010) -- Cellular changes in fat tissue -- not the immune system -- lead to the "hyperinflammation" characteristic of obesity-related glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes, according to new research. ... > full story
Mathematical models for breast cancer detection with microwave tomography are cheaper and less risky, research finds (July 12, 2010) -- The most popular method of breast cancer detection today is X-ray mammography, which takes images of a compressed breast by low-dose ionizing radiation. However, there are several disadvantages to using X-rays for breast cancer screening, chief among them being the invasiveness of radiation and the high costs. Microwave tomography can provide a cheaper and less risky alternative to X-ray mammography, according to new research. ... > full story
Big picture: Lipid ordering visualized in a living vertebrate organism (July 12, 2010) -- Scientists have obtained the first visualization of the inherent arrangement of lipid molecules in different tissues of a whole, living vertebrate organism. The research validates earlier studies done with primary cells and may lead to a new understanding of the physiological significance of plasma membrane organization. ... > full story
Should the results of individual genetic studies be disclosed to participants? (July 12, 2010) -- Individual results of genetic research studies should not be disclosed to participants without careful consideration, according to experts. The view held by many ethicists that individual genetic research findings should always be reported to participants involved in genetic research studies is perhaps misguided and can lead to misunderstanding, they say. ... > full story
Length of biological marker associated with risk of cancer (July 12, 2010) -- A new study suggests that shorter length of leukocyte telomeres -- chromosome markers of biological aging -- are associated with an increased risk of cancer and death from cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story
Majority of fevers in African children are not caused by malaria, study finds (July 12, 2010) -- In 2007, an estimated 656 million fevers occurred in African children aged 0-4 years, with 78 million children of the 183 million attending a public health care facility likely to have been infected with P. falciparum (range 60-103 million), the parasite that causes the most dangerous form of malaria. These findings come from a modelling system devised by experts from the Malaria Atlas Project. ... > full story
Painkillers not linked with heart disease in elderly patients and may protect against death, study finds (July 11, 2010) -- Commonly used painkillers like ibuprofen do not increase the risk of heart attack in the elderly population, according to a new study. ... > full story
Home care equivalent to hospital care for some patients with cystic fibrosis, study finds (July 11, 2010) -- Patients with cystic fibrosis recover from exacerbations equally well if they are treated at home or in a hospital, according to researchers. Furthermore, longer treatment with antibiotics does not appear to offer any additional benefit over shorter courses. ... > full story
Hereditary kidney disease linked to genetic location (July 11, 2010) -- An in-depth study of a family with multiple generations affected by kidney disease has identified a previously unknown location for a gene abnormality causing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, according to a new study. ... > full story
New retrieval method makes studying cancer proteins easier (July 11, 2010) -- Researchers can now better retrieve specific proteins needed to study how cancer cells form by using a newly developed technique and synthetic nanopolymer. ... > full story
Rituals that target customers not always good for business (July 11, 2010) -- Businesses make an impression when they sing "Happy Birthday" to customers or cook up entrees right at diners' tables, but not always a good one, new research has found. ... > full story
A fateful pause: Genetic mechanism once thought rare may allow rapid cell production (July 11, 2010) -- We take our blood for granted, but its creation requires a complicated series of steps, starting with the formation of blood stem cells during early embryonic development, followed by progressive differentiation into the progenitors of red cells, white cells and platelets, and ultimately the full set of blood cells. Now, researchers report a surprising twist in how mature red blood cells form. ... > full story
Higher-protein diets support weight loss, but may lower bone density in postmenopausal women (July 11, 2010) -- Overweight and moderately obese postmenopausal women using diets based on higher protein intake also need to be aware of potential bone loss, according to new research. ... > full story
Simple massage relieves chronic tension headache, study finds (July 11, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have shown that the psychological and physiological state of patients with tension headache improves within 24 hours after receiving a 30-minute massage. ... > full story
Antibody may help treat and prevent influenza outbreaks (July 10, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a monoclonal antibody that is effective against "avian" H5N1, seasonal H1N1 and the 2009 "swine" H1N1 influenza. Scientists have shown that this antibody potently prevents and treats the swine H1N1 influenza in mouse models of the disease. ... > full story
Protein that predicts prognosis of leukemia patients may also be a therapeutic target (July 10, 2010) -- Researchers at Whitehead Institute and Children's Hospital Boston have identified a protein, called Musashi 2, that is predictive of prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia patients. Diagnosed in an estimated 48,000 new patients annually, leukemia is blood cancer characterized by an overgrowth of certain blood cells. Musashi 2 and the cellular functions it affects could potentially represent therapeutic targets in certain types of leukemia. ... > full story
Moms' favoritism tied to depression in adulthood (July 10, 2010) -- Whether mom's golden child or her black sheep, siblings who sense that their mother consistently favors or rejects one child over others are more likely to show depressive symptoms as middle-aged adults, finds a new study. ... > full story
Honey bee venom may help design new treatments to alleviate muscular dystrophy, depression and dementia (July 10, 2010) -- Scientists researching a toxin extracted from the venom of the honey bee have used this to inform the design of new treatments to alleviate the symptoms of conditions such as muscular dystrophy, depression and dementia. ... > full story
Severe angina poses three times the coronary artery disease risk for women than men (July 10, 2010) -- Women who have the most serious form of angina are three times as likely to develop severe coronary artery disease (CAD) as men with the same condition, according to a new study. ... > full story
Homicide and suicide rates among mentally ill on the decline, UK study finds (July 10, 2010) -- People with mental health problems are committing fewer homicides while the number of suicides by mental health patients has also fallen, latest figures reveal; a previous rise in homicides by mentally ill people may have been the result of drug misuse, says the report. ... > full story
Scientists use computer algorithms to develop seasonal flu vaccines (July 10, 2010) -- Computer scientists have developed a rapid and effective approach to produce vaccines for new strains of influenza viruses. The researchers hope to develop the new technology and provide an efficient method to confront the threat of seasonal epidemics. ... > full story
Simple diagnostic tool predicts Type 2 diabetes in Southeast Asians (July 10, 2010) -- Australian and Vietnamese researchers have estimated the current prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Vietnam, and have developed a simple tool for identifying individuals at high risk. Often triggered by sedentary lifestyles and high-fat or high-sugar diets, diabetes is a condition where the body becomes less able to make and use insulin, a hormone that reduces sugar in the blood by moving it into cells for energy use. ... > full story
Marijuana derivative could be useful for pain treatment (July 10, 2010) -- A new compound similar to the active component of marijuana (cannabis) might provide effective pain relief without the mental and physical side effects of cannabis, according to a new study. ... > full story
Neural stem cells attack glioblastoma cells (July 9, 2010) -- Scientists in Germany have demonstrated how the brain's own stem cells and precursor cells control the growth of glioblastomas. Of all brain tumors, glioblastomas are among the most common and most aggressive. They have now shown in cell culture and mouse model experiments just how the body's own protective mechanism they identified in an earlier study, actually works. ... > full story
Study suggests link between scleroderma, cancer in certain patients (July 9, 2010) -- Patients with a certain type of scleroderma may get cancer and scleroderma simultaneously, researchers have found, suggesting that in some diseases, autoimmunity and cancer may be linked. ... > full story
What do you want to be when you grow up, Mr. Doctor? (July 9, 2010) -- New research in Names: A Journal of Onomastics has found that people’s names can influence the type of career they take. ... > full story
Early Alzheimer's identification method discovered (July 9, 2010) -- Abnormal brain images combined with examination of the composition of the fluid that surrounds the spine may offer the earliest signs identifying healthy older adults at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, well before cognitive problems emerge, a new study has found. ... > full story
Extremely obese children have 40 percent higher risk of reflux disease of esophagus, study finds (July 9, 2010) -- A study of 690,000 children found extremely obese children have a 40 percent higher risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease and moderately obese children have a 30 percent higher risk of GERD compared to normal weight children. This large population-based study establishes an association between obesity and GERD in children, an association previously reported in adults. GERD leads to chronic respiratory conditions, and increased risk for esophageal cancer, the nation's fastest growing cancer. ... > full story
Executives who take the fewest risks have the most negative emotions, Spanish study finds (July 9, 2010) -- Researchers have studied the influence of emotional traits of the character in directors of Spanish banks and savings banks when making strategic decisions. The study concludes that executives who display the most negative emotions have less of a tendency to take risks. ... > full story
Intoxicating fragrance: Jasmine as valium substitute (July 9, 2010) -- Instead of a sleeping pill or a mood enhancer, a nose full of jasmine from Gardenia jasminoides could also help, according to researchers in Germany. They have discovered that the two fragrances Vertacetal-coeur (VC) and the chemical variation (PI24513) have the same molecular mechanism of action and are as strong as the commonly prescribed barbiturates or propofol. ... > full story
Who is likely to become a bully, victim or both? New research shows poor problem-solving increases risk for all (July 9, 2010) -- Children and adolescents who lack social problem-solving skills are more at risk of becoming bullies, victims or both than those who don't have these difficulties, according to new research. But those who are also having academic troubles are even likelier to become bullies. ... > full story
HPV infection linked to increased risk of skin cancer (July 9, 2010) -- HPV infection heightens the risk of developing certain skin cancers and is worsened if people are taking immunosuppression drugs, according to a new study. ... > full story
New way diseases can develop: Previously unknown mechanism directs gene expression in cells (July 9, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a previously unknown mechanism by which cells direct gene expression, the process by which information from a gene is used to direct the physical and behavioral development of individuals. The research may help scientists gain insight into how muscle and heart diseases develop. ... > full story
Teen moms more likely to have premature babies, study finds (July 9, 2010) -- Pregnant women aged 14-17 years are at higher risk of preterm birth and of having a child with low birth weight, especially if they are having their second child. In a new study, researchers demonstrate this association and call for better health education and the promotion of contraception after a teenager has given birth for the first time. ... > full story
Sweet way to detect prediabetes (July 9, 2010) -- Having discovered a dramatic increase of an easy-to-detect enzyme in the red blood cells of people with diabetes and prediabetes, scientists say the discovery could lead to a simple, routine test for detecting the subtle onset of the disease, before symptoms or complications occur and in time to reverse its course. ... > full story
Researchers identify factors behind blood-making stem cells (July 9, 2010) -- Researchers have made significant progress in the understanding of blood-producing (hematopoietic) stem cells. The study identifies factors that control the production of hematopoietic stem cells and offers interesting insight critical to the development of novel regenerative therapies and treatments for leukemia. ... > full story
Better-looking politicians get more media coverage (July 9, 2010) -- The better a politician's looks, the higher the frequency of television news coverage, according to a new study by researchers in Israel. ... > full story
New way to slow the growth of malignant melanoma (July 9, 2010) -- New research has shown that the growth of melanoma, one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer, can be slowed when a little known gene called microRNA 193b is added. ... > full story
Researchers discover trigger to early, effective antibody response (July 9, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a trigger that induces B cells to produce effective, long-lived antibodies early in the immune response. A molecule that binds toll-like receptors doubles the early antibody response, and shifts it to a more effective, IgG form. The findings support the emerging concept of "bridge immunity," which links the innate and adaptive arms of the immune response. They may also lead to the development of better vaccines. ... > full story
Teens drink more during summer before college, study finds (July 9, 2010) -- Summertime and the living is easy. But not too easy for parents whose children will head to college in the fall. An alcohol researcher says parents should be aware that this is a time when teens tend to increase their alcohol consumption. ... > full story
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