ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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Scientists create army of tumor-fighting immune cells and watch as they attack cancer (July 13, 2010) -- Researchers created a large, well-armed battalion of tumor-seeking immune system cells and watched, in real time using positron emission tomography (PET), as the special forces traveled throughout the body to locate and attack dangerous melanomas. ... > full story
Smoking-related colorectal cancer in older women is associated with molecularly defined DNA changes (July 13, 2010) -- Smoking, an established risk factor for colon cancer, may induce specific epigenetic changes and gene mutations that may be involved in the development of colon cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story
Ethical, scientific issues related to 'post-market' clinical trials (July 13, 2010) -- Amid growing concerns about clinical trials for drugs that have been approved by the FDA but are later linked to serious health risks, an independent committee at the Institute of Medicine has developed a conceptual framework to guide the agency through the tough decision of ordering such controversial "post-market" drug-safety trials. ... > full story
Eating foods rich in vitamin E associated with lower dementia risk (July 13, 2010) -- Consuming more vitamin E through the diet appears to be associated with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
High potassium? Check your antibiotic (July 13, 2010) -- Older adults taking the antibiotic combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) -- widely prescribed for urinary tract infections -- are at increased risk of elevated potassium levels, called hyperkalemia, according to a new study. ... > full story
Radiation device allows for targeted breast radiation to control cancer, study finds (July 13, 2010) -- A new study of breast cancer patients at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center and the Arizona Oncology Services shows that after almost two years, the radiation given with the Strut-Adjusted Volume Implant (SAVI™) controls the rate of cancer and may reduce the complications seen with alternate types of brachytherapy. ... > full story
Antisense therapy for spinal muscular atrophy shows promise (July 12, 2010) -- Scientists have succeeded in reversing symptoms of type III SMA, a relatively mild form of spinal muscular atrophy, in mice by introducing chemically modified RNA pieces called ASOs into their spinal cords. The ASOs fix the molecular mistake underlying SMA by redirecting a cellular editing process called alternative splicing. ... > full story
Universal HIV testing and immediate treatment could reduce but not eliminate HIV/AIDS epidemic (July 12, 2010) -- Implementing a program of universal HIV testing and immediate antiretroviral treatment for infected individuals could have a major impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, D.C., but a new study finds that it would not halt the epidemic, something that a previous report had projected. ... > full story
Bars, restaurants see no significant employment change under smoking bans in two cities (July 12, 2010) -- The passage of smoking bans in two large Minnesota cities was not associated with job losses at bars and may in fact have contributed to higher employment in restaurants, according to new research. The study is the first to examine the economic effects of clean indoor air policies on bars and restaurants as independent types of businesses, the researchers said. ... > full story
One in four not covering coughs, sneezes (July 12, 2010) -- Approximately one out of every four people observed in a public setting failed to cover their mouth when they coughed or sneezed according to new research. Even more concerning, less than 5 percent of people covered their mouth using methods recommended by public health officials. ... > full story
Stem cell transplantation successfully treats therapy-resistant chronic leukemia, German study finds (July 12, 2010) -- The transplantation of stem cells from a healthy donor (allogeneic) offers the chance of cure for patients with an aggressive form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), irrespective of genetic prognostic factors and the prior course of the disease. ... > full story
Simple two-question survey can better identify hungry children (July 12, 2010) -- Asking parents just two simple screening questions could help health care providers and social workers to easily identify families whose young children are suffering from hunger, enabling early interventions that could prevent serious health consequences, according to a new study. ... > full story
Mouse stem cell study offers new insights into body fat distribution (July 12, 2010) -- New research shows that adding fat to mouse stem cells grown in the lab affects their response to the signals that push them to develop into one or other of the main types of fat storage cells -- subcutaneous (under the skin) or visceral (around the organs). ... > full story
Dogs may help collar Chagas disease: Researchers propose new ways to combat prevalent public health challenge (July 12, 2010) -- Chagas disease affects 10 to 12 million people in Latin America, killing more than 15,000 a year. It is caused by a parasite that roams with only limited control among the rural poor in Latin America. Researchers have found that dogs are important vectors in both the spread of the disease and the potential to help control it, and can make good sentinels for health officials monitoring T. cruzi transmission. ... > full story
Making the invisible visible: Verbal cues enhance visual detection (July 12, 2010) -- Cognitive psychologists have shown that an image displayed too quickly to be seen by an observer can be detected if the participant first hears the name of the object. ... > full story
New method helps nerves grow after trauma or injury (July 12, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a way to enhance nerve regeneration in the peripheral nervous system. The finding could lead to new treatments for nerve damage caused by diabetes or traumatic injuries. Peripheral nerves connect the brain and spinal cord to the body, and without them, there is no movement or sensation. Peripheral nerve damage is common and often irreversible. ... > full story
Honey as an antibiotic: Scientists identify a secret ingredient in honey that kills bacteria (July 12, 2010) -- Sweet news for those looking for new antibiotics: new research explains for the first time how honey kills bacteria. Specifically, the research shows that bees make a protein that they add to the honey, called defensin-1, which could one day be used to treat burns and skin infections and to develop new drugs that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections. ... > full story
Wet breathing system filters transmit harmful bacteria and yeast, hospitals warned (July 12, 2010) -- UK doctors have highlighted potential problems with the breathing system filters used in anesthesia, including intensive care units, after demonstrating that they don’t provide protection from harmful bacteria and yeast when they become wet. A new study shows that when they were wet, six commonly available filters allowed substantial passage of Candida albicans (a yeast infection linked to a range of chronic illnesses) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (a common hospital-acquired bacterial infection). ... > full story
Eye movements and sight distance reveal how drivers negotiate winding roads (July 12, 2010) -- New research finds that the further drivers can look ahead, generally in left-hand curves, wide curves and when leaving a curve, the less they have to look at the tangent point. The ultimate goal of the project is to build a device into cars that warns the driver if he is in danger of unintentionally departing from the lane. ... > full story
Plasma protein appears to be associated with development and severity of Alzheimer's disease (July 12, 2010) -- Higher concentrations of clusterin, a protein in the blood plasma, appears to be associated with the development, severity and progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Protein identified which helps cancer cells to survive stressful conditions (July 12, 2010) -- Researchers have made a discovery that could lead to the development of more effective treatments for a number of diseases. They have shown that a protein produced when cells are stressed interacts with a stress sensor allowing cells to survive conditions of intense stress. Understanding this interaction may help scientists interfere with cancer cells so the cells can no longer survive exposure to stressful conditions. ... > full story
Violence, not overdose, the likely method of suicide in veterans with substance use disorders (July 12, 2010) -- Veterans with substance use disorders who die by suicide are more likely to use violent means (such as a firearm) rather than nonviolent means (such as a drug overdose), new research suggests. ... > full story
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
Healthy made up over half of UK swine flu admissions and inpatient deaths in first wave (July 12, 2010) -- Over half of UK swine flu hospital admissions and inpatient deaths occurred in people with no underlying health problems or obvious risk factors, new research reveals. ... > full story
Diversity of grieving among Alzheimer's caregivers (July 12, 2010) -- New research reveals racial and ethnic differences in the emotional attitudes of caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. ... > 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
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