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Thursday, January 10, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

ScienceDaily: Top Health News


Good managers fake it

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:52 PM PST

Managers recognize the need to feign their emotions at work, especially when interacting with staff. Researchers have established just how important it is that managers 'perform' or put on a public emotional show, even if they don't feel like it.

Spin and bias in published studies of breast cancer trials

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:52 PM PST

Spin and bias exist in a high proportion of published studies of the outcomes and adverse side-effects of phase III clinical trials of breast cancer treatments, according to new research.

Mussels inspire innovative new adhesive for surgery

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:59 PM PST

Mussels can be a mouthwatering meal, but the chemistry that lets mussels stick to underwater surfaces may also provide a highly adhesive wound closure and more effective healing from surgery.

Variation found in foot strike patterns in predominantly barefoot runners

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

A recently paper shows that the running foot strike patterns vary among habitually barefoot people in Kenya due to speed and other factors such as running habits and the hardness of the ground. These results are counter to the belief that barefoot people prefer one specific style of running.

Sickle cells show potential to attack aggressive cancer tumors

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

By harnessing the very qualities that make sickle cell disease a lethal blood disorder, a research team has developed a way to deploy the misshapen red blood cells to fight cancer tumors.

Brown eyes appear more trustworthy than blue: People judge men's trustworthiness based on face shape, eye color

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

People view brown-eyed faces as more trustworthy than those with blue eyes, except if the blue eyes belong to a broad-faced man, according to research published Jan. 9 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Karel Kleisner and colleagues from Charles University in the Czech Republic.

Deal or no deal: Five year olds make smart decisions in games of risk

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

You may have to be over a certain age to be a contestant on "Deal or No Deal", but children as young as five start to maximize their profits -- in cookies -- when making decisions similar to those on the show, according to new research.

Measuring genomic response to infection leads to earlier, accurate diagnoses

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

Researchers are looking to genomic technologies -- not the isolation of bacteria or viruses -- to quickly detect and diagnose infectious diseases such as the flu and staph.

Stem cells may hold promise for Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS)

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:56 PM PST

Apparent stem cell transplant success in mice may hold promise for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, according to results of a new study.

High fiber diet prevents prostate cancer progression, study shows

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:20 PM PST

The rate of prostate cancer occurrence in Asian cultures is similar to the rate in Western cultures, but in the West, prostate cancer tends to progress, whereas in Asian cultures it does not. Why? A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the January 2013 issue of the journal Cancer Prevention Research shows that the answer may be a high-fiber diet.

New research method to identify brain tumors could enhance neurosurgery

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:09 PM PST

The use of a new brain tumor-targeting contrast agent that differentiates between normal and cancer cells in conjunction with a high-powered microscopy system could potentially lead to a method of more precise neurosurgery for brain tumors, according to research paper. The contrast agent adheres to a molecular marker of medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer, and can be seen by the optical microscope system, also developed by the research team.

Microscopic blood in urine unreliable indicator of urinary tract cancer

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST

Microscopic amounts of blood in urine have been considered a risk factor for urinary tract malignant tumors. However, only a small proportion of patients referred for investigation are subsequently found to have cancer. A new study reports on the development and testing of a Hematuria Risk Index to predict cancer risk. This could potentially lead to significant reductions in the number of unnecessary evaluations.

Flooding preparedness needs to include infection prevention and control strategies

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST

Clinical investigators report key findings and recommendations related to the closure and re-opening of hospitals impacted by black-water floods. The guidance builds on lessons learned from Thailand and the United States. The findings come as many flood-damaged healthcare facilities in New York and New Jersey look to reopen in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Unnecessary antimicrobial use increases risk of recurrent infectious diarrhea

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST

A new study found that many patients with Clostridium difficile infection are prescribed unnecessary antibiotics, increasing their risk of recurrence of the deadly infection. The retrospective report shows that unnecessary antibiotics use is alarmingly common in this vulnerable patient population.

A history lesson from genes: Using DNA to tell us how populations change

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

Researchers have developed a software model that can infer population history from modern DNA.

A rapid test for fungus that caused injection deaths

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

A rapid detection assay has been developed to Exserhilum rostratum, the fungus primarily responsible for 39 deaths among patients injected last year with a contaminated steroid medication. The test can be used both for patient samples and for detection of contamination in lots of medication.

Scientists use Pap test fluid to detect ovarian, endometrial cancers

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

Using cervical fluid obtained during routine Pap tests, scientists have developed a test to detect ovarian and endometrial cancers. In a pilot study, the "PapGene" test, which relies on genomic sequencing of cancer-specific mutations, accurately detected all 24 (100 percent) endometrial cancers and nine of 22 (41 percent) ovarian cancers.

Researchers foresee new treatments and diagnostics for deadly fibrotic diseases of the lung, liver, and kidney

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

A team of scientists has developed a playbook for ending the devastating impact of fibrotic diseases of the liver, lung, kidney, and other organs, which are responsible for as many as 45 percent of all deaths in the industrialized world.

Dimmer switch for regulating cell's read of DNA code

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

Researchers have been studying the epigenetics enzyme HDAC3 for several years. They discovered that its activity requires interaction with a specific region on another protein called the Deacetylase Activating Domain. This "nuts and bolts" discovery on the epigenetic control of a person's genome has implications for cancer and neurological treatments.

Drug resistance in E. coli: 'Baby steps' can pay off big

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:15 AM PST

Scientists have found that mutations of seemingly small consequence can turn out to be game changers in the bacterial fight against antibiotic drugs. The discovery came during an exhaustive, three-year effort to create a mathematical model that could accurately predict how specific mutations would allow E. coli to ward off attacks by the antibiotic minocycline.

Scientists unlock how insulin interacts with cells

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:15 AM PST

An international research group has described how insulin binds to the cell to allow the cell to transform sugar into energy —- and also how the insulin itself changes shape as a result of this connection. This discovery could lead to dramatic improvements in the lives of people managing diabetes.

Drug-resistant melanoma tumors shrink when therapy is interrupted

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:14 AM PST

Researchers have discovered that melanomas that develop resistance to the anti-cancer drug vemurafenib (marketed as Zelboraf), also develop addiction to the drug, an observation that may have important implications for the lives of patients with late-stage disease. Surprisingly, intermittent dosing with vemurafenib prolonged the lives of mice with drug-resistant melanoma tumors, researchers said.

Americans have worse health than people in other high-income countries

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

On average, Americans die sooner and experience higher rates of disease and injury than people in other high-income countries.

Smaller radiation fields can spare brain when treating tumors, research finds

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

New research shows that patients suffering from aggressive brain tumors can be effectively treated with smaller radiation fields to spare the rest of the brain and preserve cognition.

Eliminating useless information important to learning, making new memories

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

As we age, it just may be the ability to filter and eliminate old information -- rather than take in the new stuff -- that makes it harder to learn, scientists report.

Sensory hair cells regenerated, hearing restored in noise-damaged mammal ear

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that hair cells can be regenerated in an adult mammalian ear by using a drug to stimulate resident cells to become new hair cells, resulting in partial recovery of hearing in mouse ears damaged by noise trauma. This finding holds great potential for future therapeutic application that may someday reverse deafness in humans.

Newly found 'volume control' in brain promotes learning, memory

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:41 AM PST

Researchers report synapses that act as "volume control" for nerve cell activity in the brain's hippocampus, the epicenter for learning and memory. Too much synaptic communication between neurons can trigger a seizure, and too little impairs information processing, promoting neurodegeneration. The finding describes how synapses that link two different groups of nerve cells in the hippocampus keep neuronal activity throughout that region at a steady, optimal level.

Scientists discover new gene that affects clearance of hepatitis C virus

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:41 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a gene that interferes with the clearance of hepatitis C virus infection. They also identified an inherited variant within this gene, Interferon Lambda 4 (IFNL4), that predicts how people respond to treatment for hepatitis C infection.

Expert suggests tried-and-true strategies to strengthen your relationship

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

What are you doing to keep your relationship alive? A new study highlights the importance of five relationship maintenance strategies that couples can use to preserve or improve the quality of an intimate relationship.

Used coffee grounds are a rich source of healthful antioxidants

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

To plant food, insect repellant and other homespun uses for spent coffee grounds, scientists are adding an application that could make the gunk left over from brewing coffee a valuable resource for production of dietary supplements. A new report concludes that used coffee grounds are a rich source of healthful antioxidant substances.

Making whole wheat bread taste and smell more appetizing

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

The key to giving whole wheat bread a more appetizing aroma and taste may lie in controlling the amounts of a single chemical compound that appears in the bread, which nutritionists regard as more healthful than its refined white counterpart. That's the finding of a new study which opens the door to making whole wheat bakery products more appealing to millions of people.

Passive smoking increases risk of severe dementia, according to study in China

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

Scientists have found a link between passive smoking and syndromes of dementia. The study of nearly 6,000 people in five provinces in China reveals that people exposed to passive smoking have a significantly increased risk of severe dementia syndromes.

Researchers reveal most effective treatment for common kidney disorder

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:59 AM PST

The results of a pioneering UK-wide clinical trial that compared treatments for patients with a common type of kidney disease has found one to be significantly more effective. The results of the study will be recommended to clinicians worldwide as the most effective approach to treating the condition.

New study identifies significance of co-infection in disease control

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:59 AM PST

Becoming infected with one parasite could change your chances of becoming infected with another according to new research. The new study analyses data from school aged children in Tanzania infected with the most common forms of worms.

Multiple sclerosis drug may one day treat colorectal cancer

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:59 AM PST

After uncovering a mechanism that promotes chronic intestinal inflammation and the development of colorectal cancer, scientists have found that fingolimod, a drug currently approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, could potentially eliminate or reduce the progression of colitis-associated cancer.

Not all stem cells are equally efficient for use in regenerative medicine

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:58 AM PST

Scientists at the University of Granada and Alcalá de Henares University have found out that not all isolated stem cells are equally valid in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In a new paper, the researchers report that, contrary to what was thought, only a specific group of cord blood stem cells (CB-SC) maintained in culture are useful for therapeutic purposes.

BPA linked to potential adverse effects on heart and kidneys in children and adolescents

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:57 AM PST

Exposure to a chemical once used widely in plastic bottles and still found in aluminum cans appears to be associated with a biomarker for higher risk of heart and kidney disease in children and adolescents, according to an analysis of national survey data.

How the brain stays receptive: Researchers examine the role of channel protein in learning

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:11 AM PST

The channel protein Pannexin1 keeps nerve cells flexible and thus the brain receptive for new knowledge. In a new study, mice comprising no Pannexin1 in memory-related brain structures displayed symptoms similar to autism. Their nerve cells lacked synaptic plasticity, i.e. the ability to form new synaptic contacts or give up old contacts based on the level of usage.

Effects of antibiotics on gut flora analyzed

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:11 AM PST

A new study reveals that antibiotics produce changes in the microbial and metabolic patterns of the gut. The researchers that have analyzed for the first time the bacteria, genes, enzymes and molecules that form the gut microbiota of patients treated with antibiotics.

Disappearing bacterium may protect against stroke

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:08 AM PST

An especially virulent strain of the gut bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) isn't implicated in the overall death rate of the U.S. population, and may even protect against stroke and some cancers.

ScienceDaily: Living Well News

ScienceDaily: Living Well News


Good managers fake it

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:52 PM PST

Managers recognize the need to feign their emotions at work, especially when interacting with staff. Researchers have established just how important it is that managers 'perform' or put on a public emotional show, even if they don't feel like it.

Advantages of imaginary friends

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:52 PM PST

Most parents do not worry if their young child has an imaginary friend and even see advantages in such an invisible companion.

Protective communities may reduce risk of drinking in teens

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:59 PM PST

Living in a caring community may help curb teenage alcohol use, while hanging out with antisocial peers can have the opposite effect, according to researchers studying substance abuse patterns.

Brown eyes appear more trustworthy than blue: People judge men's trustworthiness based on face shape, eye color

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

People view brown-eyed faces as more trustworthy than those with blue eyes, except if the blue eyes belong to a broad-faced man, according to research published Jan. 9 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Karel Kleisner and colleagues from Charles University in the Czech Republic.

Deal or no deal: Five year olds make smart decisions in games of risk

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

You may have to be over a certain age to be a contestant on "Deal or No Deal", but children as young as five start to maximize their profits -- in cookies -- when making decisions similar to those on the show, according to new research.

Online message boards provide outlets for mothers' concerns, researcher says

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:20 PM PST

Parenting infants and toddlers can be challenging, and for generations, mothers have turned to other moms for advice. Now, with the availability of the Internet, mothers are consulting each other using modern venues: online message boards. Research indicates online discussion boards provide safe environments for mothers to anonymously express child-rearing concerns and receive support from other moms.

Small price differences can make options seem more similar, easing our buying decisions

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST

Some retailers, such as Apple's iTunes, are known for using uniform pricing in an effort to simplify consumers' choices and perhaps increase their tendency to make impulse purchases. But other stores, like supermarkets, often have small price differences across product flavors and brands. As counterintuitive as it might seem, these small price differences may actually make the options seem more similar, easing our decision to buy, according to new research.

Study examines how news spreads on Twitter

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

A study of the Twitter activity of 12 major news agencies shows varying levels of success for the social network as a news-sharing tool, based on factors like article lifespan and number of retweets.

Eliminating useless information important to learning, making new memories

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

As we age, it just may be the ability to filter and eliminate old information -- rather than take in the new stuff -- that makes it harder to learn, scientists report.

Expert suggests tried-and-true strategies to strengthen your relationship

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

What are you doing to keep your relationship alive? A new study highlights the importance of five relationship maintenance strategies that couples can use to preserve or improve the quality of an intimate relationship.

R U eating healthy 2day?

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

Teens receive an average of 114 texts per day! Couple this with CDC's report that high school students' consumption of fruit and vegetables is, on average, 1.2 times per day and it makes sense to start using text messages to inform teens about health. In a new study, it was found that, in order to inform and motivate teens, text messages should address the reality of today's adolescent lifestyles.

Poll of psychologists cites emotions as top obstacle to successful weight loss

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:57 AM PST

When it comes to losing weight, a popular New Year's resolution for many, people often focus on eating less and exercising more. But results of a new survey of psychologists suggest dieters should pay attention to the role emotions play in weight gain and loss if they hope to succeed.

E-games boost physical activity in children; Might be a weapon in the battle against obesity

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:57 AM PST

Video games have been blamed for contributing to the epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States. But a new study by researchers suggests that certain blood-pumping video games can boost energy expenditures among children who are at high risk for unhealthy weight gain.

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Brown eyes appear more trustworthy than blue: People judge men's trustworthiness based on face shape, eye color

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:58 PM PST

People view brown-eyed faces as more trustworthy than those with blue eyes, except if the blue eyes belong to a broad-faced man, according to research published Jan. 9 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Karel Kleisner and colleagues from Charles University in the Czech Republic.

Faulty behavior: New earthquake fault models show that 'stable' zones may contribute to the generation of massive earthquakes

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST

In an earthquake, ground motion is the result of waves emitted when the two sides of a fault move rapidly past each other. Not all fault segments move so quickly, however -- some slip slowly and are considered to be "stable." One hypothesis suggests that creeping fault behavior is persistent over time, with stable segments acting as barriers to fast-slipping earthquakes. But a new study shows that this might not be true.

Farthest supernova yet for measuring cosmic history

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:11 PM PST

In 2004 the Supernova Cosmology Project based at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory used the Hubble Space Telescope to find a tantalizing supernova that appeared to be almost 10 billion light-years distant. But researchers had to wait years until a new camera was installed on the Hubble before they could confirm the spectrum and light curve of supernova SCP-0401 -- the supernova furthest back in time useful for precise measures of the expansion history of the universe.

Magma in mantle has deep impact: Rocks melt at greater depth than once thought

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:15 AM PST

Magma forms far deeper in the Earth's interior than previously thought, and may solve several puzzles for geologists.

Scientists unlock how insulin interacts with cells

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:15 AM PST

An international research group has described how insulin binds to the cell to allow the cell to transform sugar into energy —- and also how the insulin itself changes shape as a result of this connection. This discovery could lead to dramatic improvements in the lives of people managing diabetes.

Eliminating useless information important to learning, making new memories

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

As we age, it just may be the ability to filter and eliminate old information -- rather than take in the new stuff -- that makes it harder to learn, scientists report.

Sensory hair cells regenerated, hearing restored in noise-damaged mammal ear

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that hair cells can be regenerated in an adult mammalian ear by using a drug to stimulate resident cells to become new hair cells, resulting in partial recovery of hearing in mouse ears damaged by noise trauma. This finding holds great potential for future therapeutic application that may someday reverse deafness in humans.

Networking ability a family trait in monkeys

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:06 AM PST

Two years of painstaking observation on the social interactions of a troop of free-ranging monkeys and an analysis of their family trees has found signs of natural selection affecting the behavior of the descendants.