ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Tuesday, February 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Tuesday, February 8, 2011

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Risk of cancer increases with exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging, study finds (February 8, 2011) -- Exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging and other procedures after a heart attack is associated with an increased risk of cancer, a new study finds. ... > full story

Digital signal processing helps researchers get a grip on nervous system's receptors (February 8, 2011) -- A digital signal processing technique long used by statisticians to analyze data is helping scientists understand the roots of memory and learning, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and stroke. ... > full story

Therapy to prevent heart failure more effective in women than men (February 8, 2011) -- Never before has a therapy proven more beneficial for women than men in preventing heart disease -- until now. A new study found that women receive a significantly greater benefit -- a 70 percent reduction in heart failure and a 72 percent reduction in death -- from cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator than men. Reduction of heart failure in females was twice that of males -- 70 percent vs. 35 percent. ... > full story

Play was important -- even 4,000 years ago (February 8, 2011) -- Play was a central element of people’s lives as far back as 4,000 years ago, according to new research that investigates the social significance of the phenomenon of play and games in the Bronze Age Indus Valley in present-day Pakistan. ... > full story

Researchers turn Salmonella into antiviral gene therapy agent (February 8, 2011) -- Researchers have converted Salmonella bacteria from a food-borne pathogen into a safe delivery vehicle for antiviral agents. They inserted virus-stopping ribozymes into Salmonella that had its ability to cause disease disabled, and then used the bacteria to effectively treat mice infected with cytomegalovirus. It is the first time bacteria have been successfully engineered to treat a viral infection. ... > full story

Indoor coal use associated with possible impairment of early childhood growth (February 8, 2011) -- Children raised in homes using indoor coal for cooking or heating appear to be about a half-inch shorter at age 36 months than those in households using other fuel sources, according to a new study. ... > full story

Math may help calculate way to find new drugs for HIV and other diseases (February 8, 2011) -- Using mathematical concepts, researchers have developed a method of discovering new drugs for a range of diseases by calculating which physical properties of biological molecules may predict their effectiveness as medicines. ... > full story

Use of atypical antipsychotics in treatment of dementia declined after FDA warning (February 8, 2011) -- A warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration regarding the use of atypical antipsychotics for the treatment of dementia was associated with a significant decline in the use of these medications for treating dementia symptoms in elderly patients, according to a new study. ... > full story

Contact with the criminal justice system may be associated with suicide risk (February 8, 2011) -- Men and women who have had contact with the criminal justice system -- even if they have never received a jail or prison sentence or a guilty verdict -- appear to have a significantly higher rate of suicide than the general population, according to a new study. ... > full story

The brain knows what the nose smells, but how? (February 7, 2011) -- Biologists have developed a new technique to trace neural pathways across the brain. They have mapped the path of odor signals as they travel to the higher centers of a mouse brain, illuminating the ways mammalian brains process smells. ... > full story

Protein may be key to new treatment in a childhood cancer (February 7, 2011) -- After analyzing hundreds of proteins produced by the DNA of tumor cells, researchers have identified one protein that may be central to a new treatment for the often-fatal childhood cancer neuroblastoma. Oncologists hope to translate the finding into pediatric clinical trials of a drug that blocks the protein's activity. ... > full story

Unexpected new mechanism behind rheumatoid arthritis (February 7, 2011) -- A team of researchers in Sweden has identified an enzyme that protects against inflammation and joint destruction. Made when the researchers blocked production of the enzyme GGTase-I in transgenic mice, this unexpected discovery could lead to the identification of new mechanisms that control the development of inflammatory disorders, as well as new medicines. ... > full story

Emergency detection systems for senior citizens (February 7, 2011) -- Elderly people living alone have a dangerous life: after a fall, they often spend hours lying on the floor before their situation comes to anyone's attention and a doctor is contacted. A new system automatically detects predicaments like this and informs a trusted person. This makes it possible to live an independent life in one's own four walls. ... > full story

'He loves me, he loves me not...': Women are more attracted to men whose feelings are unclear (February 7, 2011) -- Are you still looking for a date for Valentine's Day? Here's some dating advice straight from the laboratory: It turns out there may be something to "playing hard to get." A new study finds that a woman is more attracted to a man when she is uncertain about how much he likes her. ... > full story

Gene therapy: Save messengers -- modified mRNAs open up new therapeutic possibilities (February 7, 2011) -- Gene therapy holds great promise for the cure of many diseases but synthetic DNA sequences which are introduced directly into the genome bear a significant risk of cancer. Researchers have now developed a new method which makes use of modified RNA and avoids both the risk of cancer and immune reactions provoked by conventional RNAs. ... > full story

Can breastfeeding transmit yellow fever after maternal vaccination? (February 7, 2011) -- A five-week old infant most likely contracted a vaccine strain of yellow fever virus through breastfeeding, according to a case report from Canada. ... > full story

Words help people form mathematical concepts (February 7, 2011) -- Language may play an important role in learning the meanings of numbers. A study of deaf people in Nicaragua who never learned formal sign language showed that people who communicate using self-developed gestures, called homesigns, were unable to comprehend the value of numbers greater than three because they had not learned a language containing symbols for counting. By contrast, deaf people who acquire conventional sign language as children can learn the meaning of large numbers. ... > full story

First IVF babies born using new chromosome counting technique (February 7, 2011) -- The first babies have now been born in the UK using a new technique to select the best embryos for IVF. The advance could bring hope to many British couples struggling to have a child and going through many cycles of IVF treatment. ... > full story

Low-cost, nanometer-sized drug holds promise for treatment of chronic diabetes and burn wounds (February 7, 2011) -- A low cost, nanometer-sized drug to treat chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers or burns, has been developed by a group of scientists from Israel, the U.S. and Japan. ... > full story

Dermatologists caution that atopic dermatitis is a strong precursor to food allergies (February 7, 2011) -- Atopic dermatitis, one of the most common forms of eczema in this family of inflammatory skin diseases, is a chronic disease marked by red, cracked and itchy skin. Now, increasing evidence indicates atopic dermatitis is a precursor to allergic diseases rather than a consequence. Dermatologists are advising parents of infants and young children affected by this common skin condition to be aware of the potential for future food allergies. ... > full story

Childhood chronic illness affects future income, education, career (February 7, 2011) -- Today more children than ever survive serious chronic illness. Many thrive as young adults, but a large new study finds that for some, early illness can lead to fewer years of education, more joblessness and lower pay. ... > full story

Allergies lower risk of low- and high-grade glioma, study finds (February 7, 2011) -- The more allergies one has, the lower the risk of developing low- and high-grade glioma, according to new research. ... > full story

Athletes prone to a rash of skin conditions (February 7, 2011) -- Team sports have a long history of fostering cooperation, camaraderie and a healthy competitive spirit among athletes. But the closeness that brings athletes together also can create an environment for a host of contagious skin infections. Now, dermatologists are urging teammates and coaches to be aware of the most common skin conditions caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi that occur in athletes and educating them on how to prevent a widespread outbreak. ... > full story

Pollutants in aquifers may threaten future of Mexico's fast-growing 'Riviera Maya' (February 7, 2011) -- Pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, shampoo, toothpaste, pesticides, chemical run-off from highways and many other pollutants infiltrate the giant aquifer under Mexico's "Riviera Maya," research shows. The wastes contaminate a vast labyrinth of water-filled caves under the popular tourist destination on the Yucatan Peninsula. And, with a 10-fold increase in population through 2030 expected, the problems are likely to worsen, according to new research. ... > full story

Complex heart problems fixed without open-heart surgery (February 7, 2011) -- Pediatric cardiac physicians have implanted a pulmonary heart valve without open-heart surgery. The valve is placed into the beating heart through a vein in the patient's leg. After the procedure, patients spend a night in the hospital and are discharged home the following morning. ... > full story

3-D map of fly brain is to neuroscience what genome is to genetics (February 7, 2011) -- In an advance that is being compared to the sequencing of the fly genome, researchers have created the first brain-wide wiring map of a fruit fly. The breakthrough paves the way for a comprehensive analysis of information processing within and between neurons and ultimately a deeper understanding of control and causality in fly behavior, according to researchers. ... > full story

Expectations speed up conscious perception (February 7, 2011) -- The human brain works incredibly fast. However, visual impressions are so complex that their processing takes several hundred milliseconds before they enter our consciousness. Scientists have now shown that this delay may vary in length. When the brain possesses some prior information -- that is, when it already knows what it is about to see -- conscious recognition occurs faster. Until now, neuroscientists assumed that the processes leading up to conscious perception were rather rigid and that their timing did not vary. ... > full story

Age-related macular degeneration: Key mechanism in geographic atrophy identified, two possible therapies (February 7, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a deficiency of the Dicer enzyme in retinal cells of patients with geographic atrophy. Further research showed that, in the absence of Dicer, toxic Alu RNA can accumulate, leading to retinal cell death characteristic of geographic atrophy. Two therapeutic modalities targeting these mechanisms have been developed and are headed toward clinical trials. ... > full story

Blood-clotting agent can diagnose fatal genetic diseases, finds study (February 7, 2011) -- Scientists have shown that a protein involved in blood clotting can be used to diagnose and subsequently monitor the treatment of a group of childhood genetic diseases. ... > full story

Watching others smoke makes smokers plan to light up (February 7, 2011) -- Seeing actors smoke in a movie activated the brain areas of smokers that are known to interpret and plan hand movements, as though they too were about to light a cigarette, according to a new study. ... > full story

Neural communication: Weak electrical fields in the brain help neurons fire together (February 7, 2011) -- The brain -- awake and sleeping -- is awash in electrical activity, and not just from the individual pings of single neurons communicating with each other. In fact, the brain is enveloped in countless overlapping electric fields, generated by the neural circuits of scores of communicating neurons. The fields were once thought to be a "bug" occurring during neural communication but new work suggests they do much more -- and may represent an additional form of neural communication. ... > full story

Second member in Alzheimer's toxic duo identified (February 7, 2011) -- Armed with new evidence, scientists hope to disrupt signals that turn on target genes in Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

‘Cornell dots’ that light up cancer cells go into clinical trials (February 7, 2011) -- "Cornell Dots" -- brightly glowing nanoparticles -- may soon be used to light up cancer cells to aid in diagnosing and treating cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first clinical trial in humans of the new technology. It is the first time the FDA has approved using an inorganic material in the same fashion as a drug in humans. ... > full story

Mountain bike-related injuries down 56 percent, according to a U.S. national study (February 7, 2011) -- The number of mountain bike-related injuries decreased 56 percent over the 14-year study period (1994 to 2007) -- going from a high of more than 23,000 injuries in 1995 to just over 10,000 injuries in 2007. ... > full story

Jumping genes caught in the act: New evidence that the genome contains many mobile elements (February 7, 2011) -- An ambitious hunt for actively "jumping genes" in humans has yielded compelling new evidence that the genome, anything but static, contains numerous pesky mobile elements that may help to explain why people have such a variety of physical traits and disease risks. ... > full story

29 genome regions linked to common form of inflammatory bowel disease (February 7, 2011) -- Researchers have made new links between 29 regions of the genome and ulcerative colitis -- a common form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). ... > full story

Still hope for Arctic sea ice (February 7, 2011) -- The substantial decline of Arctic sea ice in recent years has triggered some fears that the ice cover might be approaching a “tipping point” beyond which the loss of the remaining sea ice would become unstoppable. However, new research now indicates that such tipping point is unlikely to exist for the loss of Arctic summer sea ice. The sea-ice cover reacts instead relatively directly to the climatic conditions at any given time. Hence, the ongoing loss of Arctic sea ice could be slowed down and eventually stopped if global warming were to be slowed down and eventually stopped. ... > full story

Breast cancer cells outsmart the immune system and thrive (February 7, 2011) -- Scientists discovered a new way breast cancer cells dodge the immune system and promote tumor growth, providing a fresh treatment target in the fight against the disease. While comparable mechanisms to avoid the immune system have been identified in mice with breast and other cancers, the study tested human breast tumor cells, putting researchers closer to understanding how the disease progresses in real patients. ... > full story

Reducing the toll of alcohol in Canada (February 7, 2011) -- Focused programs and public health policies can help reduce the burden of alcohol in Canada, which contributes significantly to acute and chronic diseases, social problems and trauma, states a new analysis. ... > full story

Sun-triggered protein drives skin cancer, researchers find (February 6, 2011) -- An unexpected immune protein exacerbates cancer due to sun exposure, report researchers. The study suggests that drugs blocking the protein might halt tumor growth in skin cancer patients. ... > full story

Gene critical for heart function identified (February 6, 2011) -- Researchers have found that if you have low levels of the DOT1L enzyme, you could be at risk for some types of heart disease. ... > full story

Air pollutants from fireplaces and wood-burning stoves raise health concerns (February 6, 2011) -- Danish scientists have found that the invisible particles inhaled into the lungs from breathing wood smoke from fireplaces have multiple adverse effects. ... > full story

Adult ADHD significantly increases risk of common form of dementia, study finds (February 6, 2011) -- Adults who suffer from attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more than three times as likely to develop a common form of degenerative dementia than those without. Researchers confirmed the link during a study of 360 patients with degenerative dementia and 149 healthy controls, matched by age, sex and education. ... > full story

Lead exposure may affect blood pressure during pregnancy (February 6, 2011) -- Even minute amounts of lead may take a toll on pregnant women, according to a new study. Although the levels of lead in the women's blood remained far below thresholds set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, women carrying more lead had significantly higher blood pressure. ... > full story

Incidence of skin cancer rising at alarming rate (February 6, 2011) -- For many young adults, the serious health consequences of tanning have been shown to have little impact on their behavior when it comes to sun exposure. But with spring break around the corner, dermatologists are urging people -- particularly young adults -- to practice proper sun protection and understand the importance of early detection of skin cancer, the most common type of cancer. ... > full story

Study on effects of TV ad violence on kids has Super Bowl implications (February 6, 2011) -- The Super Bowl annually produces the year's largest TV audience, making it a prime event for advertisers to debut their flashy, new commercials. But ads with violent content aired during a sporting event that also contains violence may amplify aggressive thoughts in kids, the authors of a new study say. ... > full story

How the body’s frontline defense mechanism determines if a substance is a microbe (February 5, 2011) -- Researchers have now described how the first line of defense of the human immune system distinguishes between microbes and the body's own structures. The basis of this recognition mechanism has been unclear since the key protein components were discovered over 30 years ago -- and has now finally been cracked. ... > full story

A loose grip provides better chemotherapy (February 5, 2011) -- Researchers have found that cancer patients may get a bigger bang and fewer side effects with a new take on a drug delivery system. By using noncovalent bonds to link light-activated anti-cancer drugs to coated gold nanoparticles, they were able to activate treatment in two hours instead of two days. The scientists expect the targeted delivery system will cut dosage by a factor of 10 or more. ... > full story

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