ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, July 29, 2011 ~ Technology

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, July 29, 2011

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Aging brains are different in humans and chimpanzees; Evolution of human longevity led to both a large brain and brain shrinkage (July 29, 2011) -- Brains shrink in humans, potentially causing a number of health problems and mental illnesses as people age, but do they shrink to the same extent in the closest living relatives to humans -- the chimpanzees? ... > full story

New gene for intellectual disability discovered (July 29, 2011) -- A new gene linked to intellectual disability was just discovered. To date, MAN1B1 is the eighth known gene connected with recessive intellectual disability, but there are likely many more involved. ... > full story

Study finds new points of attack on breast cancers not fueled by estrogen (July 29, 2011) -- Although it sounds like a case of gender confusion on a molecular scale, the male hormone androgen spurs the growth of some breast tumors in women. In a new study, scientists provide the first details of the cancer cell machinery that carries out the hormone's relentless growth orders. ... > full story

Discovery throws light on blood pressure regulation (July 29, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a protein found in the walls of blood vessels plays a key role in maintaining healthy blood pressure -- a discovery that could one day lead to new treatments for people with high blood pressure. ... > full story

Vessel-damaging activation of the 'intracellular waste disposal' mechanism found in smokers (July 29, 2011) -- Researchers have found that substances found in cigarette smoke lead to blood vessels’ endothelial cells constantly digesting themselves. This permanent damage to the interior surface of the blood vessels leads, amongst others, to calcification of the arteries, as the recently published study confirms. ... > full story

Progressive telomere shortening characterizes familial breast cancer patients (July 29, 2011) -- Telomeres of peripheral blood cells are significantly shorter in patients with familial breast cancer than in the general population. Results of the study carried out by a Human Genetics Group, to be published in open-access journal PLoS Genetics on July 28, reflect that familial, but not sporadic, breast cancer cases are characterized by shorter telomeres. Importantly, they also provide evidence for telomere shortening as a mechanism of the successively earlier onset of cancer down generations. ... > full story

Teacher influence persists in early grades (July 29, 2011) -- Having consistently good teachers in elementary school appears to be as important for student achievement as small class sizes, according to new research. ... > full story

World population to surpass 7 billion in 2011; Explosive population growth means challenges for developing nations (July 28, 2011) -- Global population is expected to hit 7 billion later this year, up from 6 billion in 1999. Between now and 2050, an estimated 2.3 billion more people will be added -- nearly as many as inhabited the planet as recently as 1950. New estimates from the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations also project that the population will reach 10.1 billion in 2100. ... > full story

Unexpected discovery on hormone secretion (July 28, 2011) -- Geneticists have made an unexpected discovery on hormone secretion. Contrary to common belief, the researchers found that pituitary cells are organized in structured networks. ... > full story

Home is where the healthy meal is (July 28, 2011) -- Can a cozy dining table and nice music prompt people to reach for the greens and go light on dessert? So suggests a new study probing why people tend to eat more-nutritious meals at home than away from home. ... > full story

New therapy may help people with unexplained symptoms of pain, weakness and fatigue (July 28, 2011) -- A new type of therapy may help people with symptoms such as pain, weakness, or dizziness that can't be explained by an underlying disease, according to a new study. These symptoms, which can also include fatigue, tingling and numbness, are also known as functional or psychogenic symptoms. ... > full story

The brain's connectome -- from branch to branch (July 28, 2011) -- Scientists have developed new analytical tools for fast and accurate reconstruction of neural networks. ... > full story

A heart-rate-reducing medication reduces the risk of heart failure and cardiac fibrosis (July 28, 2011) -- A new study suggest that ivabradine, a heart rate reduction medication, is also effective in reducing the risk of diastolic heart failure (left ventricular insufficiency) and cardiac fibrosis. ... > full story

'Mirroring' might reflect badly on you (July 28, 2011) -- The benefits of body-language mimicry have been confirmed by numerous psychological studies. And in popular culture, mirroring is frequently urged on people as a strategy -- for flirting or having a successful date, for closing a sale or acing a job interview. But new research suggests that mirroring may not always lead to positive social outcomes. In fact, sometimes the smarter thing to do is to refrain. ... > full story

How a gene linked to both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes works (July 28, 2011) -- Researchers have identified how a gene for a protein that can cause type 2 diabetes, also possibly kills nerve cells in the brain, thereby contributing to Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

Gout prevalence swells in U.S. over last two decades; Increase in obesity and hypertension are likely contributors (July 28, 2011) -- A new study shows the prevalence of gout in the United States has risen over the last twenty years and now affects 8.3 million Americans. Prevalence of increased uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) also rose, affecting 43.3 million adults in the U.S. Greater frequency of obesity and hypertension may be associated with the jump in prevalence rates, according to the findings. ... > full story

Increased muscle mass may lower risk of pre-diabetes: Study shows building muscle can lower person's risk of insulin resistance (July 28, 2011) -- A recent study has found that the greater an individual's total muscle mass, the lower the person's risk of having insulin resistance, the major precursor of type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Researchers look to dogs to better understand intricacies of bone cancer (July 28, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a gene pattern that distinguishes the more severe form of bone cancer from a less aggressive form in dogs. ... > full story

Getting 50-year-old Americans as healthy as Europeans could save Medicare and Medicaid 2 billion by 2050, study says (July 28, 2011) -- A new study is the first to calculate the fiscal consequences of the growing life expectancy gap over the next few decades. The study also pinpoints the crucial age at which U.S. life expectancy starts to deteriorate. ... > full story

Gene variant in Proteus syndrome identified: Molecular insight may confirm cause of the Elephant Man's severe disfigurement (July 28, 2011) -- A team of researchers has identified the genetic mutation that causes Proteus syndrome, a rare disorder in which tissue and bone grows massively out of proportion. ... > full story

German E. Coli code cracked: Rapid, high-tech study of ongoing epidemic creates new paradigm for outbreak (July 28, 2011) -- A team of researchers has unraveled the genomic code of the E. coli bacterium that caused a deadly outbreak in Germany that began in May 2011. The paper describes how researchers worked together to use cutting edge technology to sequence and analyze the genomics of E. coli samples from the outbreak in a matter of days. ... > full story

Treatment provides dramatic survival benefit for hard-to-match kidney transplant patients (July 28, 2011) -- Hard-to-match kidney transplant candidates who receive a treatment designed to make their bodies more accepting of incompatible organs are twice as likely to survive eight years after transplant surgery as those who stay on dialysis for years awaiting compatible organs, new research finds. ... > full story

Gene gives clues to self-injurious behavior in rare disorder (July 28, 2011) -- In humans, inherited mutations in a gene called HPRT1 lead to very specific self-destructive behavior. Boys with Lesch-Nyhan disease experience uncontrollable urges to bite their fingers, slam their arms into doorways and otherwise harm themselves. Puzzlingly, mice with mutations in the same gene don't behave differently than normal mice. Researchers have identified a gene related to HPRT1, present in humans but not in mice that helps explain this discrepancy. ... > full story

How memory is lost: Loss of memory due to aging may be reversible (July 28, 2011) -- The neural networks in the brains of the middle-aged and elderly have weaker connections and fire less robustly than in youthful ones. Intriguingly, the research suggests that this condition is reversible. ... > full story

Growing up on livestock farm linked to increased risk of blood cancers (July 28, 2011) -- Growing up on a livestock farm seems to be linked to an increased risk of developing blood cancers as an adult, indicates new research. ... > full story

How some breast cancers alter their sensitivity to estrogen (July 28, 2011) -- Using human breast cancer cells and the protein that causes fireflies to glow, scientists have shed light on why some breast cancer cells become resistant to the anticancer effects of the drug tamoxifen. The key is a discovery of two genetic "dimmer switches" that apparently control how a breast cancer gene responds to the female hormone estrogen. ... > full story

Short-term use of amphetamines can improve ADHD symptoms in adults, review finds (July 28, 2011) -- Giving amphetamines to adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can help them control their symptoms, but the side effects mean that some people do not manage to take them for very long, according to a team of researchers in Spain. ... > full story

Children and adolescent cell phone users at no greater risk of brain cancer than non-users, study suggests (July 28, 2011) -- Children and adolescents who use mobile phones are not at a statistically significant increased risk of brain cancer compared to their peers who do not use mobile phones, according to a new study. ... > full story

Breast density tied to specific types of breast cancer, study suggests (July 28, 2011) -- Women with breasts that appear dense on mammograms are at a higher risk of breast cancer and their tumors are more likely to have certain aggressive characteristics than women with less dense breasts, according to a study. ... > full story

A new target to inhibit malaria and toxoplasmosis infection (July 28, 2011) -- Scientists have characterized a protein complex that allows the agents that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis to infect host cells. This is a highly original mechanism, since the parasite supplies both the receptor which it inserts into the host cell membrane and the ligand it exposes at its surface. The researchers have now shown the three-dimensional structure of this complex. The new data paves the way for new drugs designed to inhibit the formation of the protein complex in question and block invasion by Plasmodium falciparum in red blood cells. ... > full story

Computer-aided detection does not improve mammogram accuracy, study suggests (July 28, 2011) -- Using computer-aided detection software to help analyze and interpret mammograms does not improve accuracy, according to a new study. ... > full story

Why people phone hack: A look into the psyche of wrongdoing (July 28, 2011) -- Phone hacking. It doesn't even sound ethical. Neither does phone spying nor so called, 'phreaking.' So how does management at a best-selling newspaper approve this and everyone else play along? ... > full story

Veterinary medicine students experience higher depression levels than peers, research finds (July 28, 2011) -- Veterinary medicine students are more likely to struggle with depression than human medicine students, undergraduate students and the general population, according to several recent collaborative studies. ... > full story

Could patients' own kidney cells cure kidney disease? Reprogrammed kidney cells could make transplants and dialysis things of the past (July 27, 2011) -- Approximately 60 million people across the globe have chronic kidney disease, and many will need dialysis or a transplant. Breakthrough research indicates that patients' own kidney cells can be gathered and reprogrammed. Reprogramming patients' kidney cells could mean that in the future, fewer patients with kidney disease would require complicated, expensive procedures that affect their quality of life. ... > full story

CT shows changes in lungs associated with COPD flare-ups (July 27, 2011) -- Using computed tomography, researchers have identified two types of structural changes in the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that are associated with frequent exacerbations, or episodes when symptoms suddenly worsen. ... > full story

Who takes risks? (July 27, 2011) -- It's a common belief that women take fewer risks than men, and that adolescents always plunge in headlong without considering the consequences. But the reality of who takes risks when is actually a bit more complicated, according to the authors of a new article. ... > full story

Social deficits associated with autism, schizophrenia induced in mice with new technology (July 27, 2011) -- Researchers have been able to switch on, and then switch off, social-behavior deficits in mice that resemble those seen in people with autism and schizophrenia, thanks to a technology that allows scientists to precisely manipulate nerve activity in the brain. In synchrony with this experimentally induced socially aberrant behavior, the mice exhibited a brain-wave pattern called gamma oscillation that has been associated with autism and schizophrenia in humans, the researchers say. ... > full story

Yoga boosts stress-busting hormone, reduces pain, study finds (July 27, 2011) -- A new study finds that practicing yoga reduces the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic pain in women with fibromyalgia. The study is the first to look at the effects of yoga on cortisol levels in women with fibromyalgia. Participants' saliva revealed elevated levels of total cortisol following a program of 75 minutes of hatha yoga twice weekly over the course of eight weeks. ... > full story

More powerful 'lab-on-a-chip' made for genetic analysis (July 27, 2011) -- Researchers have invented a silicone chip that could make genetic analysis far more sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective by allowing individual cells to fall into place like balls in a pinball machine. The device -- about the size of a nine-volt battery -- allows scientists to simultaneously analyze 300 cells individually by routing fluid carrying cells through microscopic tubes and valves. By facilitating such "single-cell analysis," the device could accelerate genetic research and hasten the use of far more detailed tests for diagnosing cancer. ... > full story

Zinc lozenges may shorten common cold duration, Finnish research suggests (July 27, 2011) -- Depending on the total dosage of zinc and the composition of lozenges, zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold episodes by up to 40%, according to a Finnish study. ... > full story

Social acumen equals spatial skill, psychologist finds (July 27, 2011) -- People who are socially skilled -- who are adept at metaphorically putting themselves in someone else's shoes -- generally are also more proficient when it comes to spatial skills. ... > full story

Gastric bypass surgery changes food preferences so that they eat less high fat food (July 27, 2011) -- Gastric bypass surgery alters people's food preferences so that they eat less high fat food, according to a new study. The findings suggest a new mechanism by which some types of bariatric surgery lead to long-term weight loss. ... > full story

Non-cocaine, topical anesthetics can kill pain when repairing skin wounds (July 27, 2011) -- While some pain killers need to be injected into the damaged tissue in order to work, topical anesthetics only need to be spread on the surface. The earliest examples of "topical" anesthetics contained cocaine, but now a new systematic review has shown that newer agents that don't contain cocaine can effectively treat pain caused by torn skin. This makes these pain killers an attractive choice for doctors who need to sew-up a patient's skin wound. ... > full story

First measurements of harmful haloacetic acids in urine of swimmers and pool workers (July 27, 2011) -- The first scientific measurements in humans show that potentially harmful haloacetic acids (HAAs) appear in the urine of swimmers within 30 minutes after exposure to chlorinated water where HAAs form as a byproduct of that water disinfection method. The study found that HAAs also appeared in the urine of swimming pool workers. ... > full story

As unhealthy food outlets multiply, teens eat more junk (July 27, 2011) -- Nearly three-quarters of California teenagers live or go to school in neighborhoods disproportionately crowded with fast food and other outlets that sell unhealthy food, including convenience stores, liquor stores, dollar stores and pharmacies. And unsurprisingly, teens that live or go to school in such neighborhoods are more likely to drink soda and eat fast food. ... > full story

Scientists connect gene to Alzheimer’s precondition (July 27, 2011) -- Connecting a human gene to the risk of developing the Alzheimer's precondition known as mild cognitive impairment has been somewhat of a holy grail for scientists, but now a team of scientists has ended the quest. ... > full story

Telomere length linked to emphysema risk (July 27, 2011) -- Telomeres, the body's own cellular clocks, may be a crucial factor underlying the development of emphysema, according to new research. ... > full story

Does Chinese chocolate taste better than Swiss? Depends on when you find out (July 27, 2011) -- When consumers taste a chocolate bar they think is made in Switzerland, they'll prefer it over one supposedly made in China, according to new study. But if you tell them where it's from after they taste the candy, they'll prefer the Chinese chocolate. ... > full story

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