ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, July 15, 2010
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Obesity harms women's memory and brain function, study finds (July 15, 2010) -- The more an older woman weighs, the worse her memory, according to new research. The effect is more pronounced in women who carry excess weight around their hips, known as pear shapes, than women who carry it around their waists, called apple shapes. The study of post-menopausal women is the first in the US to link obesity to poorer memory in women and to identify the body shape connection. ... > full story
Pigs provide clues on cystic fibrosis lung disease (July 15, 2010) -- Aided by a new experimental model, scientists are a step closer to understanding how cystic fibrosis (CF) causes lung disease in people with the condition. The findings could help improve treatments for lung disease, which causes most of the deaths and disability among people with CF. ... > full story
Future HIV vaccines: If we build it, will they come? (July 15, 2010) -- On the eve of the world's biggest AIDS conference this month in Austria, a new research review shows many people wouldn't get inoculated against HIV even if a vaccine was developed. ... > full story
Early exposure to milk protein from cows increases allergy resistance later in life, study finds (July 15, 2010) -- A researcher in Israel has found that babies who are fed cow milk protein early, in the form of infant formula, seem to be protected from developing an allergy to the same protein later in life. ... > full story
Spanish gene expression data promise targeting of anti-angiogenesis treatment (July 15, 2010) -- Analyzing the expression of particular genes in lung cancers could soon allow researchers to identify groups of patients who are likely to benefit most from treatment with angiogenesis-inhibitor drugs. ... > full story
Waterborne diseases could cost over 0 million annually in US (July 15, 2010) -- Hospitalizations for three common waterborne diseases cost the health care system as much as 9 million annually, according to new research. ... > full story
Severe vasculitis: After 40 years, researchers identify possible new treatment (July 14, 2010) -- Researchers have made a major advance in treating people with a severe form of vasculitis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, a rare but devastating disease of blood vessels. In a six-month study, a new treatment strategy provided the same benefits as the current standard of care used for more than 40 years but required less frequent treatments. ... > full story
Plavix may be treatment for dogs at risk of thromboembolic disease (July 14, 2010) -- Companion animals that have a long-term need for anticoagulant drug therapies may soon find help in a top-selling antiplatelet drug marketed to humans: clopidogrel, commonly known by the trade-name Plavix. Researchers have found that clopidogrel may be a safe and effective treatment for dogs that need long-term anticoagulant therapy. ... > full story
Brain fitness program study reveals visual memory improvement in older adults (July 14, 2010) -- A commercial brain fitness program has been shown to improve memory in older adults, at least in the period soon after training. The findings are the first to show that practicing simple visual tasks can improve the accuracy of short-term, or "working" visual memory. The research is also one of the first to measure both mental performance and changes in neural activity caused by a cognitive training program. ... > full story
High-risk prostate cancer associated with significantly lower bone mineral content loss (July 14, 2010) -- Men with prostate cancer lose significantly less bone mineral content (BMC) as they age than men who are free of the disease. The findings are important because loss of BMC can play a key role in the development of fragile bones, fractures and osteoporosis. ... > full story
Brain responses of obese individuals are more weakly linked to feelings of hunger (July 14, 2010) -- Feelings of hunger have less influence on how the brain responds to the smell and taste of food in overweight than healthy weight individuals, ... > full story
Water's unexpected role in blood pressure control (July 14, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that ordinary water -- without any additives -- does more than just quench thirst. It has some other unexpected, physiological effects. It increases the activity of the sympathetic -- fight or flight -- nervous system, which raises alertness, blood pressure and energy expenditure. ... > full story
Medications found to cause long term cognitive impairment of aging brain, study finds (July 14, 2010) -- Drugs commonly taken for a variety of common medical conditions including insomnia, allergies, or incontinence negatively affect the brain causing long term cognitive impairment in older African-Americans, according to a new study which reported that taking one anticholinergic significantly increased an individual's risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and taking two of these drugs doubled this risk. ... > full story
Consumers under-predict learning curve following initial experience with product (July 14, 2010) -- A new study found that consumers often quit using products that would be beneficial for them in the long run because they experience a short period of pessimism during their initial encounter with skill-based products as varied as knitting needles and mobile devices. ... > full story
Problematic blood clotting contributes to Alzheimer’s disease (July 14, 2010) -- Alzheimer's disease has long been studied primarily as a disease of neurons. But researchers have now shown how the disease may be damaging the brain by choking off blood flow. Scientists have revealed that amyloid-beta, which builds up around brain cells in Alzheimer's patients, interacts with a common blood clotting agent to increase clotting in the arteries that feed the brain. Such activity could cut off blood flow to neurons, suffocating them over time. ... > full story
Lifelong doubling in death risk for men who are obese at age 20, study finds (July 14, 2010) -- A study tracking more than 5,000 military conscripts from the age of 20 until up to the age of 80 found the chance of dying early increased by 10 percent for each BMI point above the threshold for a healthy weight and that this persisted throughout life, with the obese dying about eight years earlier than the non-obese. ... > full story
New generation of biological scaffolds (July 14, 2010) -- Scientists in the UK are conducting research into how biological scaffolding can pave the way for off- the-shelf tissue transplants. ... > full story
Smoking influences gene function, scientists say (July 14, 2010) -- In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found that exposure to cigarette smoke can alter gene expression -- the process by which a gene's information is converted into the structures and functions of a cell. These alterations in response to smoking appear to have a wide-ranging negative influence on the immune system, and a strong involvement in processes related to cancer, cell death and metabolism. ... > full story
Researchers fighting bacterial infections zero in on microorganism's soft spots (July 14, 2010) -- In any battle, sizing up one's opponent is a critical first step. For researchers fighting a bacterial infection, that means assessing every nook and cranny of the malicious microorganism and identifying which to attack. In Spain, scientists are devising maneuvers they hope will take out bacteria at their molecular knees, and they are optimistic a recent advance will yield therapies for a number of infections, including antibiotic-resistant strains delivering blow after blow across the globe. ... > full story
Prolonged training at altitude could decrease athletes’ performance (July 14, 2010) -- New research suggests that athletes and footballers may want to limit the time they spend training at altitude to improve their performance. A new study has found that people with a rare condition that mimics being at high altitude for long periods show metabolic differences that actually reduce their endurance and physical performance. ... > full story
Divide and conquer: Genes decide who wins in the body's battle against cancer (July 14, 2010) -- A landmark study is the first to identify a life-or-death "cell competition" process in mammalian tissue that suppresses cancer by causing cancerous cells to kill themselves. Central to the discovery was the researchers' identification of "Mahjong" -- a gene that can determine the winners of the competition through its close relationship with another powerful protein player. ... > full story
Dental researchers discover human beta defensin-3 ignites in oral cancer growth (July 14, 2010) -- Detecting oral cancer in its earliest stages can save the lives of the nearly 40,500 people diagnosed annually. But early detection has been difficult. Researchers discovered a biomarker, called human beta defensin-3, which may serve as an early warning. The defensin is present in all oral cancers and associated with the early stages of oral cancer. ... > full story
Keep your fingers crossed: How superstition improves performance (July 14, 2010) -- Don't scoff at those lucky rabbit feet. New research shows that having some kind of lucky token can actually improve your performance -- by increasing your self-confidence. ... > full story
Interferon might help asthma patients breathe easier, study suggests (July 14, 2010) -- An immune-system protein already used to treat diseases like multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C and a variety of cancers might also aid asthma patients, researchers have found. ... > full story
Nearly 5 percent exposed to dengue virus in Florida's Key West, report suggests (July 14, 2010) -- An estimated 5 percent of the Key West, Fla., population -- over 1,000 people -- showed evidence of recent exposure to dengue virus in 2009, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health. ... > full story
Many physicians do not accept responsibility to report incompetent, impaired colleagues (July 14, 2010) -- More than one-third of US physicians responding to a survey did not agree that physicians should always report colleagues who are incompetent or impaired by conditions such as substance abuse or mental health disorders. The survey also found that substantial numbers of physicians feel unprepared to report or otherwise deal with impaired or incompetent colleagues. ... > full story
No evidence that popular slimming supplements facilitate weight loss, new research finds (July 14, 2010) -- New research evaluating the effectiveness of a broad selection of popular slimming supplements sold in pharmacies and health food shops has found no evidence that any of them facilitate weight loss. Two studies have found they were no more effective than the fake supplements they were compared with. ... > full story
Childhood cancer survivors face higher death risk 25 years later, from cancer, circulatory diseases (July 14, 2010) -- Follow-up of a group of British childhood cancer survivors indicates they have an increased risk of death from second primary cancers and cardiac and cerebrovascular causes more than 25 years after their initial cancer diagnosis, according to a new study. ... > full story
Brooding Russians: Less distressed than Americans (July 14, 2010) -- Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy portrayed Russians as a brooding, complicated people, and ethnographers have confirmed that Russians tend to focus on dark feelings and memories more than Westerners do. But a new study finds that even though Russians tend to brood, they are less likely than Americans to feel as depressed as a result. ... > full story
Scientists urge global investment and action plan to avert impending aging crisis (July 14, 2010) -- Now that scientists have learned so much about aging through laboratory studies, it's time to translate those findings into medicines that can benefit our aging population, experts urge. ... > full story
Suicide attempt method affects prognosis, study finds (July 14, 2010) -- The method used for a suicide attempt is highly significant for the risk of subsequent successful suicide, reveals a long-term study. The results may be of help in acute risk assessment following a suicide attempt. ... > full story
Finding may pave way for new treatments for muscle wasting diseases (July 13, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a mechanism that muscles use to regulate the nerves which control them. They believe their finding could yield new ideas for treating symptoms of motor neuron disease - a progressive and incurable neurodegenerative condition that leads to muscle weakness and wasting - and other neuromuscular conditions. ... > full story
Telecommuters with flextime stay balanced up to 19 hours longer (July 13, 2010) -- Compared to their office-bound peers, employees with a flexible schedule and the option to telecommute can work 19 hours more per week before experiencing conflict between work and personal life, according to a new study. ... > full story
Gene therapy breakthrough heralds treatment for beta-thalassemia (July 13, 2010) -- Italian scientists pioneering a new gene transfer treatment for the blood disorder beta-thalassemia have successfully completed preclinical trials, claiming they can correct the lack of beta-globin in patients' blood cells which causes the disease. The research reveals how gene therapy may represent a safe alternative to current cures that are limited to a minority of patients. ... > full story
Radiation after mastectomy improves breast cancer survival, study finds (July 13, 2010) -- Postmastectomy radiation therapy for some breast cancer patients can reduce their risk of recurrence by almost 30 percent and increase their five-year overall survival by almost 50 percent, according to a new study. ... > full story
Larger head size may protect against Alzheimer's symptoms (July 13, 2010) -- New research shows that people with Alzheimer's disease who have large heads have better memory and thinking skills than those with the disease who have smaller heads, even when they have the same amount of brain cell death due to the disease. ... > full story
New preimplantation genetic screening method can predict chromosomal abnormalities, study shows (July 13, 2010) -- The efficacy of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) has been one of the most hotly disputed subjects in assisted reproduction over the past few years. A new study has now shown, in its groundbreaking proof of principle study, that screening of polar bodies (small cells that are the by-product of egg development), is a reliable method to analyze the chromosomal status of an egg. ... > full story
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