Fw: ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, July 7, 2010

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ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, July 7, 2010

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Scientists reveal the mystery of sudden cardiac death (July 7, 2010) -- Scientists in the UK have solved a mystery connected with why people die from sudden cardiac arrest during sleep -- potentially saving thousands of lives. ... > full story

Patients with treatment-resistant CLL respond positively to stem cell transplants (July 7, 2010) -- Allogeneic (donor-derived) stem cell transplant may be a promising option for patients with treatment-resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), regardless of the patient's underlying genetic abnormalities, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Many mephedrone alternatives just as risky, warn experts (July 7, 2010) -- Since the recent ban on mephedrone, many so-called "legal substitutes" available on the internet are in fact banned cathinones (chemically related to amphetamines) and just as risky, warn experts. ... > full story

Best tests for predicting Alzheimer's disease identified (July 7, 2010) -- New research has identified the memory and brain scan tests that appear to predict best whether a person with cognitive problems might develop Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

How T cells make a commitment (July 7, 2010) -- When does a cell decide its particular identity? According to biologists, in the case of T cells -- immune system cells that help destroy invading pathogens -- the answer is when the cells begin expressing a particular gene called Bcl11b. ... > full story

Short-term kidney failure in heart patients may not be as detrimental, study shows (July 7, 2010) -- New research shows that while short-term worsening kidney function is frequent among patients with heart failure, these patients also have better outcomes than those who have persistent kidney failure. ... > full story

Why are blacks more likely to die from cancer diagnosis? Patient, doctor, hospital factors all contribute to worse survival, review finds (July 7, 2010) -- While disparities exist for nearly every common cancer type, the largest differences occur among cancers that benefit most from treatment -- suggesting that black patients are not getting needed lifesaving treatments, according to a review. ... > full story

Cocoa flavanols improve vascular and blood pressure measures for coronary artery disease patients (July 6, 2010) -- A new study finds that high concentrations of cocoa flavanols decrease blood pressure, improve the health of blood vessels and increase the number of circulating blood-vessel-forming cells in patients with heart disease. The findings indicate that foods rich in flavanols -- such as cocoa products, tea, wine and various fruits and vegetables -- have a cardio-protective benefit for heart disease patients. ... > full story

Hips don't lie: Researchers find more accurate technique to determine sex of skeletal remains (July 6, 2010) -- Researchers are offering a new means of determining the sex of skeletal human remains -- an advance that may have significant impacts in the wake of disasters, the studying of ancient remains and the criminal justice system. ... > full story

Head and spine trauma from ATV accidents cost .24 billion annually, study finds (July 6, 2010) -- Severe trauma to the head and spine resulting from all-terrain vehicle accidents are increasing dramatically, according to new research. ... > full story

Anxiety may be at root of religious extremism, researchers find (July 6, 2010) -- New findings show that anxiety and uncertainty can cause us to become more idealistic and more radical in our religious beliefs. ... > full story

Bacterial communication encourages chronic, resistant ear infections (July 6, 2010) -- Ear infections caused by more than one species of bacteria could be more persistent and antibiotic-resistant because one pathogen may be communicating with the other, encouraging it to bolster its defenses. Interrupting or removing that communication could be key to curing these infections. ... > full story

Can you make a snail forget? (July 6, 2010) -- Scientists have identified which environmental stress conditions encourage pond snails to remember and which make them forget. Following training, predator scent super-sensitised the snails whilst overcrowding and reduced calcium blocked memory formation. Understanding when stress blocks or enhances memory in a simple animal model may help elucidate mechanisms in more complex animals, like humans. ... > full story

Aerobic exercise safe and effective for rheumatoid arthritis patients, experts say (July 6, 2010) -- Researchers have determined that cardio-respiratory aerobic exercise is safe for patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis. The team found that RA patients who exercised regularly had improved function, less joint pain, and greater quality of life. ... > full story

Romantic rejection stimulates areas of brain involved in motivation, reward and addiction (July 6, 2010) -- The pain and anguish of rejection by a romantic partner may be the result of activity in parts of the brain associated with motivation, reward and addiction cravings, according to a new study. ... > full story

With magnetic nanoparticles, scientists remotely control neurons and animal behavior (July 6, 2010) -- Clusters of heated, magnetic nanoparticles targeted to cell membranes can remotely control ion channels, neurons and even animal behavior, according to a new study. ... > full story

Maternal diet and genes interact to affect heart development (July 6, 2010) -- A pregnant mother's diet may be able to interact with the genes her unborn child inherits and influence the type or severity of birth defect, according to new research. The study suggests that mothers who eat a high fat diet before and through pregnancy could be inadvertently putting the health of their offspring at risk. ... > full story

Nna proteins play role in catastrophic neuron death in mice, flies -- and perhaps people (July 6, 2010) -- A team of researchers has identified a key player in the dramatic loss of neurons in mice and fly models, a discovery that could help illuminate the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in human neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Many English speakers cannot understand basic grammar (July 6, 2010) -- Research into grammar suggests that a significant proportion of native English speakers are unable to understand some basic sentences. The findings - which undermine the assumption that all speakers have a core ability to use grammatical cues - could have significant implications for education, communication and linguistic theory. ... > full story

Revolutionary therapy slows tumor growth in advanced breast cancer, research reports (July 6, 2010) -- A novel therapy designed to attack tumors in patients with a genetic mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2, slowed tumor growth in 85 percent of advanced breast cancer patients treated in a small study, researchers report. ... > full story

Doctors to treat septic patients with hypothermia (July 6, 2010) -- Mild hypothermia can reduce the effects of sepsis on oxygen transport around the body and may be a valuable tool in the treatment of human sepsis patients. Sepsis is an inflammatory response to infection and will often result in septic shock, which is the biggest cause of death in intensive care units. ... > full story

Memory links to 40 winks (July 6, 2010) -- When it comes to executing items on tomorrow's to-do list, it's best to think it over, then "sleep on it," say psychologists. The researchers have shown that sleep enhances our ability to remember to do something in the future, a skill known as prospective memory. ... > full story

Antioxidants do help arteries stay healthy (July 6, 2010) -- Long-term supplementation with dietary antioxidants has beneficial effects on sugar and fat metabolism, blood pressure and arterial flexibility in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers report these positive results in a randomized controlled trial of combined vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and selenium capsules. ... > full story

Environmental toxins affect the body's hormone systems (July 6, 2010) -- Individual variants of the environmental pollutants PCB and PFC can affect several of the body's hormone systems in a more complex way than previously supposed. Humans and animals are constantly exposed to these toxins through the food they eat and the air they breathe. ... > full story

New key to corneal transplant success (July 6, 2010) -- Although already one of medicine's most successful transplant procedures, doctors continue to seek ways to improve corneal transplants. Now, for the first time, a team of German and British researchers have confirmed that failure and rejection of transplanted corneas are more likely in patients whose eyes exhibit abnormal vessel growth, called corneal neovascularization, prior to surgery. The findings also suggest a new treatment approach that could improve transplant success rates. ... > full story

Adolescent cyberbullies and their victims may have physical, mental health problems (July 6, 2010) -- Adolescent victims and perpetrators of electronic bullying appear more likely to report having psychiatric and physical symptoms and problems, according to a new study. ... > full story

For female baboons, too, it's good to have friends (July 6, 2010) -- Female baboons that maintain closer ties with other members of their troop live substantially longer than do those whose social bonds are less stable, a recent study has found. The researchers say that the findings add to evidence in animals from mice to humans that social bonds have real adaptive value. ... > full story

Cognition and memory improve dramatically in mice when brain compound levels were decreased (July 6, 2010) -- For the first time, scientists have linked a brain compound called kynurenic acid to cognition, possibly opening doors for new ways to enhance memory function and treat catastrophic brain diseases, according to a new study. When researchers decreased the levels of kynurenic acid in the brains of mice, their cognition was shown to improve markedly, according to a new study. ... > full story

Low vitamin D linked to the metabolic syndrome in elderly people (July 6, 2010) -- A new study adds to the mounting evidence that older adults commonly have low vitamin D levels and that vitamin D inadequacy may be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome, a condition that affects one in four adults. ... > full story

Optical imaging could create pathway for radiotracers, study finds (July 6, 2010) -- A new study reports on investigative research of a novel optical imaging technique called "Cerenkov luminescence imaging." According to the authors, the technique could lead to the faster and more cost-effective development of radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other conditions. ... > full story

Abused children appear likely to have mental disorders as young adults (July 6, 2010) -- Abuse and neglect during childhood appear to be associated with increased rates of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders among young adults, according to a new study. ... > full story

Virgin olive oil and a Mediterranean diet fight heart disease by changing how our genes function (July 6, 2010) -- Everyone knows olive oil and a Mediterranean diet are associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but a new research report offers a surprising reason why: these foods change how genes associated with atherosclerosis function. ... > full story

Chromosomal abnormality found for inherited clubfoot (July 6, 2010) -- Although clubfoot is one of the most common congenital birth defects, few genetic causes have been found. Now, researchers have found what they believe to be the most common cause of inherited clubfoot yet discovered. ... > full story

New research model of human prostate cancer shows cancer development (July 6, 2010) -- Progress toward understanding the role of sex hormones in the growth of prostate cancer -- the most common cancer in US men -- has been hindered by the lack of a suitable laboratory research model. Now researchers say they have developed the first model of hormone-induced human prostate cancer initiation and progression. ... > full story

Kids now see fewer television ads for sweets and beverages, but more for fast food (July 6, 2010) -- Children saw fewer television advertisements for certain foods, including those for sweets and beverages, in 2007 compared with 2003, according to a new study. However, children now see more fast-food ads, and racial gaps in exposure to all food advertising have increased. ... > full story

Experimental nonsteroidal treatment of asthma shows promise (July 6, 2010) -- A new nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory therapy made from a human protein significantly decreases disease signs of asthma in mice, opening the possibility of a new asthma therapy for patients who do not respond to current steroid treatments. ... > full story

Histone H1 regulates gene activity throughout the cell cycle (July 6, 2010) -- A protein that helps pack DNA into the cell nucleus has an important role in regulating gene activity, scientists report. The researchers found that the protein, histone H1, also takes part in the formation of ribosomes, the cellular workbenches on which all proteins are made. ... > full story

Antagonizing atherosclerosis (July 6, 2010) -- Antibody-producing B cells promote atherosclerosis in mice, according to a new study. These findings came as a surprise, as prior studies had suggested that B cells help protect against the disease. ... > full story

Heart patients with anxiety disorder experience more cardiovascular events, deaths (July 6, 2010) -- Among patients with heart disease, anxiety disorders appear to be associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death, according to a new study. ... > full story

Our brains are more like birds' than we thought (July 5, 2010) -- For more than a century, neuroscientists believed that the brains of humans and other mammals differed from the brains of other animals, such as birds (and so were presumably better). Researchers have now found that a comparable region in the brains of chickens concerned with analyzing auditory inputs is constructed similarly to that of mammals. ... > full story

Ultrafine particles in air pollution may heighten allergic inflammation in asthma (July 5, 2010) -- Even brief exposure to ultrafine pollution particles near a freeway is potent enough to boost the allergic inflammation that exacerbates asthma, according to new research. ... > full story

Treating tongue tie could help more babies breastfeed (July 5, 2010) -- When the connective tissue under a newborn's tongue is too tight, it prevents the baby from being able to breastfeed properly. A simple surgical snip can fix the problem, but many doctors do not perform the procedure. ... > full story

Nano-sized advance toward next big treatment era in dentistry (July 5, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting an advance toward the next big treatment revolution in dentistry -- the era in which root canal therapy brings diseased teeth back to life, rather than leaving a "non-vital" or dead tooth in the mouth. Researchers now describe a first-of-its-kind, nano-sized dental film that shows early promise for achieving this long-sought goal. ... > full story

More than 2 billion people worldwide lack access to surgical services (July 5, 2010) -- More than two billion people worldwide do not have adequate access to surgical treatment, according to a new study. ... > full story

Personalized approach to smoking cessation may be reality in 3-5 years (July 5, 2010) -- A personalized approach to smoking cessation therapy is quickly taking shape. New evidence suggests that combining information about a smoker's genetic makeup with his or her smoking habits can accurately predict which nicotine replacement therapy will work best. ... > full story

Cancer stem cells are not 'one size fits all,' lung cancer models show (July 5, 2010) -- Cancer stem cells have enticed scientists because of the potential to provide more durable and widespread cancer cures by identifying and targeting the tumor's most voracious cells. Now, researchers have identified cancer stem cells in a model of the most common form of human lung cancer and, more significantly, have found that the cancer stem cells may vary from tumor to tumor, depending upon the tumor's genetic signature. ... > full story

High BMI linked to proximity to convenience stores (July 5, 2010) -- Researchers conducting a neighborhood-scaled exploratory study that tested the association between the food environment, the built environment and women's body mass index have found that women with homes closer to a supermarket, relative to a convenience store, had lower BMIs, and that the greater the number of restaurants within a five minute walk of a woman's home, the higher her BMI. ... > full story

Reprogrammed human blood cells show promise for disease research (July 5, 2010) -- Cells from frozen human blood samples can be reprogrammed to an embryonic stem-cell-like state, according to new research. These cells can be multiplied and used to study the genetic and molecular mechanisms of blood disorders and other diseases. The breakthrough described here allows for study of cells from frozen blood samples already stored at blood banks -- even from deceased patients. ... > full story

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