Fw: ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, June 18, 2009

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ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, June 18, 2009

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, June 18, 2009

'Life Force' Linked To Body's Ability To Withstand Stress (June 18, 2009) -- Our ability to withstand stress-related, inflammatory diseases may be associated, not just with our race and sex, but with our personality as well, according to a new study. Especially in aging women, low levels of the personality trait extroversion may indicate that blood levels of a key inflammatory molecule have crossed over a threshold linked to a doubling of mortality risk within five years. ... > full story

AIDS: Clues To Virus-cancer Link Uncovered (June 18, 2009) -- Scientists have uncovered clues to the development of cancers in AIDS patients. ... > full story

New Treatment Strategy Offers Hope To Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Who Failed All Other Therapies (June 18, 2009) -- Rheumatoid arthritis patients who failed to respond to initial treatment with rituximab (a chimeric monoclonal antibody against the protein CD20) can still be successfully re-treated with a second course of RTX after six months, according to new results. ... > full story

How Much Does Chronic Depression With Medical Disorders Affect Work Performance? (June 18, 2009) -- Affective disorders comorbid with medical, somatic illnesses have been found to have a major impact on health-related quality of life and disability with more pronounced effects in dysthymic disorder than in major depressive disorder. ... > full story

Appetite-stimulating Hormone Is First Potential Medical Treatment For Frailty In Older Women (June 18, 2009) -- Older women suffering from clinical frailty stand to benefit from the first potential medical treatment for the condition, according to a new study. Ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, was administered to older women diagnosed with frailty, a common geriatric syndrome characterized by unintentional weight loss, weakness, exhaustion and low levels of anabolic hormones which increases risk of falls, hospitalizations, disability and death. ... > full story

TRAPping Proteins That Work Together Inside Living Cells (June 18, 2009) -- Researchers trying to understand how and which proteins work together have developed a new crosslinking tool that is small and unobtrusive enough to use in live cells. Using the new crosslinker, the scientists have discovered new details about a well-studied complex of proteins known as RNA polymerase. The results suggest the method might uncover collaborations between proteins that are too brief for other techniques to pinpoint. ... > full story

Novel DNA Vaccine Leads To Kidney Damage Prevention In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Models (June 18, 2009) -- DNA vaccination using lupus autoantigens and interleukin-10 (IL-10, a cytokine that plays an important role in regulating the immune system) has potential as a novel therapy to induce antigen specific tolerance and may help to prevent kidney damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, according to a new study. ... > full story

Telemedicine Expands Reach Of Care For Parkinson's Patients (June 18, 2009) -- A unique and innovative telemedicine project is providing distant nursing home patients with Parkinson's disease access to neurologists. A pilot study of the project demonstrates that the system can improve the quality of life and motor function of patients. ... > full story

Could Hormones Explain Gender Differences In Neurological Disease? (June 17, 2009) -- Neurological diseases including Parkinson's, Tourette's, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Alzheimer's and schizophrenia are all associated with alterations in dopamine-driven function involving the dopamine transporter (DAT). Researchers suggest that a number of estrogens acting through their receptors affect the DAT, which may explain trends in timing of women's susceptibility to these diseases. ... > full story

Plant Microbe Shares Features With Drug-resistant Pathogen (June 17, 2009) -- Scientists have discovered extensive similarities between a strain of bacteria commonly associated with plants and one increasingly linked to opportunistic infections in hospital patients. The findings suggest caution in the use of the plant-associated strain for a range of biotech applications. ... > full story

Psoriasis Associated With Cardiovascular Disease And Increased Mortality (June 17, 2009) -- The skin disease psoriasis is associated with atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque in the arteries) characterized by an increased prevalence of ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease and an increased risk of death, according to a new article. ... > full story

Dad's Overworked And Tired While Mom's Potentially Fired (June 17, 2009) -- If dad looks exhausted this Father's Day it could be due to his job, suggests new research that found many male employees are now pressured to work up to 40 hours of overtime -- often unpaid -- per week to stay competitive. ... > full story

Farmed Fish May Pose Risk For Mad Cow Disease (June 17, 2009) -- Neurologists questions the safety of eating farmed fish, adding a new worry to concerns about the nation’s food supply. They suggest farmed fish could transmit Creutzfeldt Jakob disease -- commonly known as mad cow disease -- if they are fed byproducts rendered from cows. ... > full story

Potential For Non-invasive Brain Tumor Treatment (June 17, 2009) -- Engineers have taken a first step toward a minimally invasive treatment of brain tumors by combining chemotherapy with heat administered from the end of a catheter. ... > full story

Normal Development Of Cells With Abnormal Numbers Of Nuclei (June 17, 2009) -- Most of our cells contain a single nucleus that harbors 46 chromosomes (DNA and protein complexes that contain our genes). However, during normal postnatal development, liver cells containing two nuclei, each of which have 46 chromosomes, appear. ... > full story

Wrong Type Of Help From Parents Could Worsen Child's Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (June 17, 2009) -- Soothing anxiety and helping with behaviors linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder could lead to more severe symptoms in children. ... > full story

New Nanoparticles Could Lead To End Of Chemotherapy (June 17, 2009) -- Specially engineered nanoparticles could someday target and destroy tumors, sparing patients from toxic, whole-body chemotherapies. ... > full story

Test Detects Molecular Marker Of Aging In Humans (June 17, 2009) -- Scientists have shown that a key protein called p16INK4a is present in human blood and is strongly correlated both with chronological age and with certain behaviors such as tobacco use and physical inactivity, which are known to accelerate the aging process. ... > full story

Putting A Name To A Face May Be Key To Brain's Facial Expertise (June 17, 2009) -- Our tendency to see people and faces as individuals may explain why we are such experts at recognizing them, new research indicates. This approach can be learned and applied to other objects as well. ... > full story

New Mechanism Fundamental To The Spread Of Invasive Yeast Infections Identified (June 17, 2009) -- Researchers have identified a novel regulatory gene network that plays an important role in the spread of common, and sometimes deadly, fungal infections. The findings establish the role of Zap1 protein in the activation of genes that regulate the synthesis of biofilm matrix. ... > full story

Depression May Increase Alzheimer's Risk In People With Memory Problems (June 17, 2009) -- People with memory problems who are depressed are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease compared to people who are not depressed, reports a new study. However, the research also shows that the popular Alzheimer's drug donepezil may delay the progression to Alzheimer's disease for depressed people who also suffer from mild cognitive impairment or memory problems. ... > full story

Early and Easy Detection Of Alzheimer's Disease? (June 17, 2009) -- A new diagnostic technique which may greatly simplify the detection of Alzheimer's disease has been discovered. There is currently no accepted blood test for Alzheimer's, and the diagnosis is usually based on expensive and labor-intensive neurological, neuropsychological and neuroimaging evaluations. ... > full story

Hybrid System Of Human-Machine Interaction Created (June 17, 2009) -- Scientists have created a "hybrid" system to examine real-time interactions between humans and machines (virtual partners). By pitting human against machine, they open up the possibility of exploring and understanding a wide variety of interactions between minds and machines, and establishing the first step toward a much friendlier union of man and machine, and perhaps even creating a different kind of machine altogether. ... > full story

Powerful Nutrient Cocktail Can Put Kids With Crohn's Into Remission (June 17, 2009) -- Treating children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) usually involves the same steroids-based medication prescribed to adults. But such treatments can have negative side effects for kids and teens dealing with IBD. A researcher now promotes liquid nutrition to combat inflammatory bowel disease. ... > full story

Developmental Experiences May Explain 'Unexplained' Medical Symptoms? (June 17, 2009) -- A new theory on the role of developmental experiences has been described. Maternal perception of a threatening environment may be transmitted to the fetus when hormones cross the placenta and affect fetal physiology, effectively 'programming' the fetal stress response system and associated behaviors toward enhanced vigilance. ... > full story

Same-sex Behavior Seen In Nearly All Animals, Review Finds (June 17, 2009) -- Same-sex behavior is a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, common across species, from worms to frogs to birds, concludes a new review of existing research. ... > full story

Living Near Fast Food Outlet Not A Weighty Problem For Kids (June 17, 2009) -- A new study contradicts the conventional wisdom that living near a fast food outlet increases weight in children and that living near supermarkets, which sell fresh fruit and vegetables as well as so called junk food, lowers weight. ... > full story

Tai Chi Benefits For Arthritis Shown (June 17, 2009) -- Tai chi has been found to have positive health benefits for musculoskeletal pain. The results of the first comprehensive analysis of tai chi suggest that it produces positive effects for improving pain and disability among arthritis sufferers. ... > full story

Common Fish Species Has 'Human' Ability To Learn (June 17, 2009) -- Although worlds apart, the way fish learn could be closer to humans' way of thinking than previously believed, suggests a new research study. ... > full story

Smokers' Muscles Tire More Quickly (June 17, 2009) -- Smokers' muscles tire much more quickly than those of non-smokers, irrespective of how many cigarettes they smoke per day or how long they have smoked. ... > full story

Ultrasonics Improves Surgeons’ View When Removing Tumors >From The Pituitary Gland (June 17, 2009) -- Ultrasonics improves surgeons’ view when they remove tumors from the pituitary gland. Hidden in a little hollow in the skull, at about the level of the eye, we have a gland about the size of a blackcurrant. This is the hypophysis, or pituitary, the body’s center for hormone manufacture. The gland produces a wide range of hormones which in turn control other organs that manufacture yet more hormones. ... > full story

Protein May Be Strongest Indicator Of Rare Lung Disease, Study Shows (June 17, 2009) -- Researchers have discovered a protein in the lungs that can help in determining progression of the rare lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. ... > full story

Individuals Who Apply Pesticides Are Found To Have Double The Risk Of Blood Disorder (June 17, 2009) -- A study involving 678 individuals who apply pesticides recently found that exposure to certain pesticides doubles one's risk of developing an abnormal blood condition called MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) compared with individuals in the general population. ... > full story

Why Do We Choose Our Mates? Ask Darwin, Prof Says (June 17, 2009) -- Darwin wrote about it 150 years ago: animals don't pick their mates by pure chance -- it's a process that is deliberate and involves numerous factors. After decades of examining his work, experts agree that he pretty much scored a scientific bullseye, but a very big question is, "What have we learned since then?" asks a biologist who has studied Darwin's theories. ... > full story

Single Gene Found To Control Growth Of Some Cancers (June 17, 2009) -- A single gene can control growth in cancers related to the Epstein-Barr virus and that existing therapeutics can inactivate it, according to new research. ... > full story

Chemical Fingerprint Of Barrett's Esophagus Identified (June 17, 2009) -- Canadian Light Source scientists used the synchrotron's infrared microscope to identify the chemical fingerprint of Barrett's esophagus, a condition that can lead to esophageal cancer. ... > full story

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Prevalent In Nonobese Patients (June 17, 2009) -- There is a high probability of obstructive sleep apnea in nonobese, middle-aged patients, according to new research. ... > full story

First Climate-based Model To Predict Dengue Fever Outbreaks (June 17, 2009) -- Researchers have used global climatological data and vegetation indices from Costa Rica, to predict Dengue outbreaks in the region. ... > full story

The Dark Side Of Gifts: Feeling Indebted May Drive People To The Marketplace (June 17, 2009) -- You need to move out of your apartment. Do you call in your friends and family to haul boxes and furniture or contact a moving company? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research shows that sometimes the emotions connected with asking for favors can actually drive people to the market. ... > full story

Autistics Better At Problem-solving, Study Finds (June 17, 2009) -- Autistics are up to 40 percent faster at problem-solving than non-autistics, according to a new study published in the journal Human Brain Mapping. As part of the investigation, participants were asked to complete patterns in the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices -- test that measures hypothesis-testing, problem-solving and learning skills. ... > full story

Cardiac Rehabilitation Saves Lives (June 17, 2009) -- Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and a major driver of medical and economic costs, especially among older adults. It has long been established that cardiac rehabilitation improves survival, at least in middle-aged, low- and moderate-risk white men. Now a large study reports that older cardiac patients benefit as much from cardiac rehab as their younger counterparts. ... > full story

Advanced Image Analysis Can Provide Better Risk Assessment In Hardening Of The Arteries (June 17, 2009) -- Ultrasound examination of the carotid artery is a patient-friendly and inexpensive method for assessing atherosclerosis and thereby predicting the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Researchers have now developed new analytical methods for ultrasound images that can provide more reliable and more exact assessments of atherosclerosis. ... > full story

Clearing Pneumococcal Bacteria From The Upper Airways (June 17, 2009) -- The bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae can be found in the upper airways (the nose, mouth, and throat) of most children. When living in the upper airways, S. pneumoniae is harmless. However, if the bacteria are carried to other sites, they cause disease, for example ear infections and life-threatening pneumonia. ... > full story

UK Tops The List Of 213 Countries At Extreme Risk To The Spread Of Swine Flu (June 17, 2009) -- A Warwick Business School professor and one of the founders of global risks specialist, Maplecroft, has released maps and indices revealing the countries most at risk from an influenza pandemic. The map of Risk of Spread shows the UK most at risk to the spread of an influenza pandemic. ... > full story

The Complicated Consumer: Positive Ads Aren't Always The Most Effective (June 17, 2009) -- Ads that feature positive emotions, like happiness, are not always the best way to reach consumers, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. ... > full story

Key Target Of Aging Regulator Found (June 16, 2009) -- Researchers have defined a key target of an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates the process of aging. The study provides fundamental knowledge about key mechanisms of aging that could point toward new anti-aging strategies and cancer therapies. ... > full story

Lung Disease: Top Notch Decisions In The Developing Airways Bring Insights Into Lung Disease (June 16, 2009) -- In the normal lung, the airways are lined by a balanced mixture of ciliated, secretory and neuroendocrine cells which perform functions as diverse as air humidification, detoxification, and clearance of environmental particles. This balance can be altered dramatically by faulty adaptation responses of the lung to cigarette smoke or allergens in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. ... > full story

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is An Effective Treatment For Chronic Insomnia (June 16, 2009) -- A majority of people experiencing chronic insomnia can experience a normalization of sleep parameters through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, according to new research. ... > full story

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