Fw: ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, March 19, 2010

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ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, March 19, 2010

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, March 19, 2010

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Stem cells suspended in X-ray-visible microbubbles build new blood vessels to treat peripheral arterial disease (March 19, 2010) -- Bone marrow stem cells suspended in X-ray-visible microbubbles dramatically improve the body's ability to build new blood vessels in the upper leg -- providing a potential future treatment for those with peripheral arterial disease or PAD, say researchers. ... > full story

New chemotherapy combination shows promise in endometrial cancer, researchers find (March 19, 2010) -- Researchers report that in a small study of women with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, gemcitabine and cisplatin, when used in combination, produced a response rate in fifty percent of patients. ... > full story

Novel 'medical home' program for pediatric patients, families cuts ER visits in half (March 19, 2010) -- In the first quantitative study to look at the benefits of utilizing the medical home concept in a resident-education outpatient clinic at a specialized children's hospital, researchers found that participation in the program significantly reduced families' use of the emergency room. ... > full story

Researcher maps how age, gender can affect risk to radiation exposure (March 19, 2010) -- Scientists imaged cartilage, bone marrow and two types of mineral bone in 20 different skeletal sites from two newborns to learn more about how much radiation is absorbed by the body. They discovered that children have a greater percentage of total mineral bone in direct contact with sensitive bone marrow than do adults. This has implications for radiation treatments and types of chemotherapy used to treat cancer patients, especially therapies targeting pediatric bone cancers. ... > full story

Preventive behaviors limited household transmission of H1N1 influenza during initial outbreak (March 19, 2010) -- Simple, common sense behaviors, including having a discussion at home about how to prevent influenza, can help limit the spread of H1N1 in a household, according to a study of the initial outbreak in New York City in 2009. ... > full story

Measuring protein movements with nanosecond resolution (March 19, 2010) -- Researchers who developed a method for observing nanosecond-scale movements of proteins have used it to distinguish two structural forms where only one was known. The experiments focused on HP35 in the protein villin, which contributes to cells' stability by linking actin filaments. More generally, the results suggest that this method, based on fast electron transfer between different parts of a protein, could help unlock the mechanisms behind folding and misfolding of proteins. ... > full story

Progress has been made in war on cancer, but still many challenges (March 19, 2010) -- Although there have been achievements in the battle against cancer, including a decrease in the rate of death and new diagnoses, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the US, with a need for continued improvement in the areas of prevention, detection and treatment, according to a commentary. ... > full story

What makes you unique? Not genes so much as surrounding sequences, study finds (March 18, 2010) -- The key to human individuality may lie not in our genes, but in the sequences that surround and control them, according to new research. ... > full story

Deep brain stimulation reduces epileptic seizures in patients with refractory partial and secondarily generalized seizures (March 18, 2010) -- Patients with refractory partial and secondarily generalized seizures had a reduction in seizures after deep brain stimulation, according to new research. This multi-center clinical trial determined that the benefits of stimulation of the anterior nuclei of thalamus for epilepsy persisted and by 2 years there was a 56 percent reduction in seizure frequency. ... > full story

Staples lead to higher risk of infection after joint surgery than traditional stitches (March 18, 2010) -- Using metal staples to close wounds after orthopedic (joint) surgery can lead to a greater risk of infection than using traditional nylon sutures, concludes a new study. ... > full story

Looming unemployment harms older workers' health (March 18, 2010) -- Downsizing and demotions at the workplace can be a health hazard for people over age 50, according to new research. ... > full story

New technique reduces tobacco smoke damage to lungs in mice (March 18, 2010) -- Researchers in Australia have demonstrated that blocking a certain protein can reduce or prevent cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation in mice. Inflammation underlies the disease process of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and many other smoking-related ailments. ... > full story

Electronic assistant to detect stress (March 18, 2010) -- Researchers are developing electronic stress assistants that are supposed to monitor stress levels in everyday life -- a step towards preventing burnout and depression more effectively. In principle stress is a healthy reaction. In the short term, the stress reaction helps the body to adapt to the stressor. However, if the organism has no time to recover and the stress reaction proceeds over longer time, this can have adverse effects like cardiovascular diseases or mental illness. ... > full story

Revisiting the need to detect circulating tumor cells (March 18, 2010) -- One of the most dangerous characteristics of cancer is its ability to metastasize, or spread through the body. For this reason, oncologists have a major need for better tests to detect cells that break away from primary tumors to travel to other parts of the body. Effective identification of these cells, referred to as circulating tumor cells, could help guide treatment and improve quality of life for many cancer patients. ... > full story

Shift workers at more risk for irritable bowel syndrome, study finds (March 18, 2010) -- Nurses participating in shift work, especially those working rotating shifts, face a significantly increased risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome and abdominal pain compared to those working a standard day-time schedule, according to new research. ... > full story

Genes linked to ulcerative colitis identified (March 18, 2010) -- A study of the human genome has now identified genes linked to ulcerative colitis, offering clues as to what causes the condition and potential avenues for new therapies to treat the disease. ... > full story

Chemists influence stem-cell development with geometry (March 18, 2010) -- Scientists have successfully used geometrically patterned surfaces to influence the development of stem cells. The new approach is a departure from that of many stem-cell biologists, who focus instead on uncovering the role of proteins in controlling the fate of stem cells. ... > full story

Obesity and passive smoking reduce oxygen supply to unborn baby (March 18, 2010) -- Babies born to mothers with obesity and exposed to passive smoking are more likely to have health problems than others. This conclusion is based on evidence of elevated levels of nucleated red blood cells in the umbilical cord. ... > full story

Smoking, but not past alcohol abuse, may impair mental function, study suggests (March 18, 2010) -- Men and women with a history of alcohol abuse may not see long-term negative effects on their memory and thinking, but female smokers do, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Potent radiation treatment provides tumor control for patients with inoperable lung cancer (March 18, 2010) -- Early findings suggest a radiation therapy that involves numerous highly-focused and potent radiation beams provides targeted tumor control in nearly all patients, reduces treatment-related illness, and may ultimately improve survival for patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story

Anti-obesity drugs unlikely to provide lasting benefit, according to scientists (March 18, 2010) -- Scientists argue that anti-obesity drugs fail to provide lasting benefits for health and well-being because they tackle the biological consequences of obesity, and not the important psychological causes of over-consumption and weight gain. ... > full story

Media reports may paint overly optimistic view of cancer (March 18, 2010) -- Newspaper and magazine reports about cancer appear more likely to discuss aggressive treatment and survival than death, treatment failure or adverse events, and almost none mention end-of-life palliative or hospice care, according to a report. ... > full story

Selenium protects men against diabetes, study suggests (March 18, 2010) -- The role of selenium in diabetes has been controversial, with some studies suggesting that it raises diabetes risk and others finding that it is protective. Now, research has shown that, for men, high plasma selenium concentrations are associated with a lower occurrence of dysglycemia. ... > full story

How cells protect themselves from cancer (March 18, 2010) -- Cells have two different protection programs to safeguard them from getting out of control under stress and from dividing without stopping and developing cancer. Now for the first time, using an animal model for lymphoma, cancer researchers have shown that these two protection programs work together through an interaction with normal immune cells to prevent tumors. Their findings may be of fundamental importance in the fight against cancer. ... > full story

Significant amount of inappropriate CT and MRI referrals from primary care physicians, study finds (March 18, 2010) -- A large academic medical center has found that a significant percentage of outpatient referrals they receive from primary care physicians for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies are inappropriate (based upon evidence-based appropriateness criteria developed by a radiology benefits management company), according to a new study. ... > full story

Switch mechanism for controlling traffic in cells discovered (March 18, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a mechanism that switches on an extremely important process for the proper functioning and survival of our body's cells. Specifically, the fast-track transportation pathway of "cargo" to and from the surface of the cell. ... > full story

Mother is 'more essential' to orphans than breadwinner father, research suggests (March 18, 2010) -- The role of a mother in African families is even more essential to the well-being of a child than the role played by the breadwinner father, according to a new study. ... > full story

Brain naturally follows scientific method? Less effort to register 'predictable' images (March 18, 2010) -- It turns out that there is a striking similarity between how the human brain determines what is going on in the outside world and the job of scientists. Good science involves formulating a hypothesis and testing whether this hypothesis is compatible with the scientist's observations. Researchers have now shown that this is what the brain does as well. A study shows that it takes less effort for the brain to register predictable as compared to unpredictable images. ... > full story

Low levels of vitamin D linked to higher rates of asthma in African-American kids (March 18, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that African American children with asthma in metropolitan Washington, DC, are significantly more likely to have low levels of vitamin D than healthy African-American children. This study supports recent research that suggests vitamin D plays a greater role in the body than just keeping bones healthy. Vitamin D deficiency has been recently linked to a variety of non-bone related diseases including depression, autoimmune disorders, and now asthma. ... > full story

Drug dramatically reduces nausea and vomiting in bone marrow transplant patients (March 18, 2010) -- Bone marrow transplant patients say two of the most debilitating side effects of the treatment are nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and radiation. But a new study has found the drug aprepitant can dramatically reduce both nausea and vomiting when combined with other anti-nausea drugs. ... > full story

Hypnotherapy eases irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, expert says (March 18, 2010) -- Hypnotherapy seems to be very effective for easing the distressing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and in a goodly proportion of cases, clears up symptoms altogether, reveal experts. ... > full story

Newer cornea transplant surgery shows short- and long-term promise (March 18, 2010) -- One year post-surgery, patients who underwent Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) experienced greater cell loss overall compared to those who underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), according to a new analysis of data. However, the study showed that cell loss in DSAEK patients plateaued more quickly than in those who underwent PKP. ... > full story

Cells of aggressive leukemia hijack normal protein to grow (March 18, 2010) -- Researchers have found that one particularly aggressive type of blood cancer, mixed lineage leukemia, has an unusual way to keep the molecular motors running. The cancer cells rely on the normal version of an associated protein to stay alive. ... > full story

If you take simvastatin to control cholesterol, watch out for infection, says new report (March 18, 2010) -- Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it's an entirely different story says a new research study. Scientists have shown that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation. ... > full story

Some clinical trials explicitly exclude gay and lesbian patients (March 18, 2010) -- All clinical trials have guidelines that clearly state who can and cannot participate, but according to the National Institutes of Health these guidelines are typically based on age, gender, previous treatment history, the type and stage of a disease, and other medically relevant factors. However, researchers have now gathered evidence indicating that some trials explicitly exclude individuals based on their sexual orientation. ... > full story

Another serious eye disease, uveitis, linked to smoking (March 18, 2010) -- Smoking is already a known risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, cataract and thyroid eye disease. Now, the first study to specifically examine the impact of smoking on uveitis-inflammation of the eye's middle layer of tissue-indicates that tobacco smoke likely plays a role in this serious eye disease, as well. In the United States about 10 percent of blindness is caused by uveitis. ... > full story

'Smart Hip' monitors real-time performance of bone implants, stimulates bone growth (March 18, 2010) -- To monitor the real-time performance of bone implants is the challenge of "Smart Hip," an innovative medical device that aims to reduce the number of surgical interventions in the hip area and regenerate bone tissue by using non-evasive methods. The device -- developed by an engineering doctoral student in Portugal -- has already been successfully tested on animals. ... > full story

Ghrelin mitigates liver fibrosis in animal models; regulates human fibrosis (March 18, 2010) -- Spanish researchers determined that rats treated with recombinant ghrelin displayed a reduction in liver fibrosis. Ghrelin, a stomach hormone, reduced the amount of fibrogenic cells by 25 percent in the treated rodents. Research further showed ghrelin prevented acute liver damage and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in the animal models. ... > full story

When mom has an eating problem (March 18, 2010) -- Norwegian research reveal the nature of emotional problems experienced by mothers with eating difficulties. Guilt and shame are key factors. Health workers need better training in order to be able to spot and alleviate such problems. ... > full story

Disabling Skp2 gene helps shut down cancer growth (March 17, 2010) -- Increased understanding of the Skp2 gene and its relation to cellular senescence may lead to the development of novel agents that can suppress tumor development in common types of cancer, researchers report. ... > full story

Modified home video game shows promise for improving hand function in teens with cerebral palsy (March 17, 2010) -- Engineers have modified a popular home video game system to help teenagers with cerebral palsy improve their hand functions. In a pilot trial, the system improved the teens' abilities to perform a range of daily personal and household activities. The modified system with custom-developed software and games provided exercise routines aimed at improving hand speed and range of finger motion. ... > full story

Drug metabolism: How enzymes interact is important to toxicity and effectiveness (March 17, 2010) -- Researchers have found that drug metabolism depends not only upon which enzymes are present in an individual, but also how they interact, and that can be the difference in whether a drug is safely eliminated from the body or is converted into a toxic or carcinogenic byproduct. ... > full story

Difficulty trusting and reaching out to others may shorten diabetes patients' lives (March 17, 2010) -- Being overly cautious or dismissive in relating to others, including health-care providers, may shorten the lives of people with diabetes. In a five-year study, diabetes patients who had a lower propensity to reach out to others had a higher mortality rate than those who felt comfortable seeking support. There are approaches that health-care professionals might try to improve collaboration with patients who have an independent relationship style. ... > full story

Could regulating intestinal inflammation prevent colon cancer? (March 17, 2010) -- Every day, our gut comes in contact with bacteria, inducing an inflammatory response that is tolerated and controlled. Sometimes the control of inflammation is lost and this can lead to inflammatory bowel disease that may predispose to colon cancer. Caspase-1, an important protein involved in the mechanism of inflammation, has long been believed to be one of the culprits behind excessive inflammation in the colon. Researchers suggest the opposite in a new study. ... > full story

Urban pollution affects cardiac function: Initial results in the healthy rat (March 17, 2010) -- In the healthy rat, prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) under conditions that mimic urban pollution leads to changes to cardiac morphology and function. Compensatory mechanisms develop in these animals to sustain normal cardiac activity, but they become more vulnerable to heart disease. The results provide cellular proof in the rat of a direct effect of urban pollution on cardiac function. Studies are ongoing to verify these findings in humans. ... > full story

Some 40 percent of surface disinfectants ineffective in eliminating viruses that cause gastroenteritis (March 17, 2010) -- Some 40 percent of commercial disinfectants used to clean surfaces are believed to be ineffective in eliminating noroviruses, a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all food-borne gastroenteritis outbreaks. According to a recent study, only bleach-based disinfectants drastically reduce the concentration of these viruses. ... > full story

HPV vaccine protects patients from cancer recurrence, study finds (March 17, 2010) -- A new study shows that the Gardasil vaccine reduces the likelihood of human papillomavirus-related disease recurring after teen and adult women already have had surgery to remove cancer or certain pre-cancerous changes. ... > full story

An apple a day? Study shows soluble fiber boosts immune system (March 17, 2010) -- A new study touts the benefits of soluble fiber -- found in oats, apples, and nuts, for starters -- saying that it reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system. ... > full story

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