ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• New technology delivers sustained release of drugs for up to six months
• Deeply held religious beliefs prompting sick kids to be given 'futile' treatment
• Supercomputers solve riddle of congenital heart defects
• Strategy appears to help rule-in, rule-out heart attack within one hour
• Blood test could guide treatment for kidney cancer
• Consuming flavanol-rich cocoa may enhance brain function
• Middle-aged adults help their hearts with regular leisure-time physical activities
• Double vision: Hybrid medical imaging technology may shed new light on cancer
• Modification of tumor suppressor affects sensitivity to potential GBM treatment
• External stimulation impacts white matter development in the postnatal brain, study finds
• Cellular basis for how anti-aging cosmetics work identified
• Egg yolk consumption almost as bad as smoking when it comes to atherosclerosis, study suggests
• Antisense approach promising for treatment of parasitic infections
• New method may allow personalized clinical trial for cancer therapies
• Chemical widely used in antibacterial hand soaps may impair muscle function
• Should doctors treat lack of exercise as a medical condition? Expert says 'yes'
• New oncogene identified for breast cancer
• Protective bacteria in the infant gut have resourceful way of helping babies break down breast milk
• Why are people overconfident so often? It's all about social status
• Chromosomal translocations point the way toward personalized cancer care
• Gene discovery could improve treatment for acute myeloid leukemia
• New key element discovered in pathogenesis of Burkitt lymphoma
• New therapy prevents lung cancer growth in mice
• Protein that helps tumor blood vessels mature could make cancer drugs more effective
• Common antibiotics pose a rare risk of severe liver injury in older patients
• New class of proteins allows breast cancer cells to evade tyrosine kinase inhibitors
• Existing drugs offer new treatment options for high-risk childhood leukemia subtype
• Consumers perceive risk when 'price' means more than money
• Scientists use light to 'tag and track' genetic processes
• Butter flavoring ingredient in microwave popcorn, thought safe for food industry workers, is a respiratory hazard
• Diabetes drugs prescribed to more than 15 million Americans raises risk of bladder cancer
• Key culprit causing muscle atrophy identified
• Rejected drug may protect against toxic substance common to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
• Human embryos frozen for 18 years yield viable stem cells suitable for biomedical research
• Three continents, one gene: DNA detectives track down nerve disorder cause
• New drug target for schizophrenia identified
• Enzymes implicated in disease processes attack one another instead of harming body proteins
• Persistent and loud snoring in young children linked to problem behaviors
• 'Harmless' condition shown to alter brain function in elderly
• For most older women with early stage breast cancer, radiation after lumpectomy helps prevent need for subsequent mastectomy
• Blood cancer cells initiate signalling cascade
• New bacteria-resistant materials discovered
• Fruity science halves fat in chocolate
• New light shed on important metabolite in bacteria

New technology delivers sustained release of drugs for up to six months Posted: 13 Aug 2012 05:30 PM PDT A new technology which delivers sustained release of therapeutics for up to six months could be used in conditions which require routine injections, including diabetes, certain forms of cancer and potentially HIV/AIDS.

Deeply held religious beliefs prompting sick kids to be given 'futile' treatment Posted: 13 Aug 2012 05:30 PM PDT Parental hopes of a "miraculous intervention," prompted by deeply held religious beliefs, are leading to very sick children being subjected to futile care and needless suffering, suggests a small study.

Supercomputers solve riddle of congenital heart defects Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:33 PM PDT With the aid of pioneering technology, Danish scientists have charted several of the complex biological processes behind congenital heart defects. In time, the research promises to provide better ways to prevent, diagnose and cure heart disease.

Strategy appears to help rule-in, rule-out heart attack within one hour Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:32 PM PDT A strategy using an algorithm that incorporates high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T values appears to be associated with ruling-out or ruling-in myocardial infarction (heart attack) within one hour in 77 percent of patients with acute chest pain who presented to an emergency department.

Blood test could guide treatment for kidney cancer Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:32 PM PDT A common enzyme that is easily detected in blood may predict how well patients with advanced kidney cancer will respond to a specific treatment, according to doctors.

Consuming flavanol-rich cocoa may enhance brain function Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:32 PM PDT Eating cocoa flavanols daily may improve mild cognitive impairment, according to new research.

Middle-aged adults help their hearts with regular leisure-time physical activities Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:32 PM PDT Middle-aged adults who regularly engage in leisure-time physical activity for more than a decade may enhance their heart health, according to new research.

Double vision: Hybrid medical imaging technology may shed new light on cancer Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:26 PM PDT Researchers combine two types of imaging methods to give doctors a clearer picture of the inside of living bodies.

Modification of tumor suppressor affects sensitivity to potential GBM treatment Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:57 PM PDT Biologists and oncologists have long understood that a protein called the epidermal growth factor receptor or EGFR is altered in at least 50 percent of patients with glioblastoma. Yet patients with glioblastoma either have upfront resistance or quickly develop resistance to inhibitors aimed at stopping the protein's function, suggesting that there is another signalling pathway at play.

External stimulation impacts white matter development in the postnatal brain, study finds Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:56 PM PDT Researchers have found that external stimulation has an impact on the postnatal development of a specific region of the brain. The study used sensory deprivation to look at the growth and collection of NG2-expressing oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (NG2 cells) in the sensory cortex of the brain.

Cellular basis for how anti-aging cosmetics work identified Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:56 PM PDT A team of investigators have discovered a mechanism that may explain how alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) -- the key ingredient in cosmetic chemical peels and wrinkle-reducing creams -- work to enhance skin appearance. An understanding of the underlying process may lead to better cosmetic formulations as well as have medical applications.

Egg yolk consumption almost as bad as smoking when it comes to atherosclerosis, study suggests Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:56 PM PDT Newly published research shows that eating egg yolks accelerates atherosclerosis in a manner similar to smoking cigarettes. Surveying more than 1,200 patients, Dr. Spence found regular consumption of egg yolks is about two-thirds as bad as smoking when it comes to increased build-up of carotid plaque, a risk factor for stroke and heart attack.

Antisense approach promising for treatment of parasitic infections Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:56 PM PDT A targeted approach to treating toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease, shows early promise in test-tube and animal studies, where it prevented the parasites from making selected proteins. When tested in newly infected mice, it reduced the number of viable parasites by more than 90 percent.

New method may allow personalized clinical trial for cancer therapies Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:55 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new tool to observe cell behavior, which has revealed surprising clues about how cancer cells respond to therapy. The new tool may offer ways to improve personalized cancer therapy by predicting tumor response and testing combinations of targeted therapies in an individual patient's tumor.

Chemical widely used in antibacterial hand soaps may impair muscle function Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:55 PM PDT Triclosan, an antibacterial chemical widely used in hand soaps and other personal-care products, hinders muscle contractions at a cellular level, slows swimming in fish and reduces muscular strength in mice, according to new research. Researchers call for regulatory agencies to reconsider its use.

Should doctors treat lack of exercise as a medical condition? Expert says 'yes' Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:51 PM PDT A sedentary lifestyle is a common cause of obesity, and excessive body weight and fat in turn are considered catalysts for diabetes, high blood pressure, joint damage and other serious health problems.

New oncogene identified for breast cancer Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:07 AM PDT Scientists have developed a novel method to identify genes that, when overexpressed, make normal cells behave like cancer cells. Using this method, scientists have identified a new oncogene, which is a gene that contributes to the development of cancer, named FAM83B.

Protective bacteria in the infant gut have resourceful way of helping babies break down breast milk Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:07 AM PDT Scientists have found that important and resourceful bacteria in the baby microbiome can ferret out nourishment from a previously unknown source, possibly helping at-risk infants break down components of breast milk.

Why are people overconfident so often? It's all about social status Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:07 AM PDT Researchers have long known that people are very frequently overconfident -- that they tend to believe they are more physically talented, socially adept, and skilled at their job than they actually are. For example, 94 percent of college professors think they do above average work (which is nearly impossible, statistically speaking). But this overconfidence can also have detrimental effects on their performance and decision-making. So why, in light of these negative consequences, is overconfidence still so pervasive? The lure of social status.

Chromosomal translocations point the way toward personalized cancer care Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT A recent review shows the role of chromosomal translocations in causing a range of cancers. Emerging, personalized therapies target these translocations.

Gene discovery could improve treatment for acute myeloid leukemia Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT Scientists have made a discovery involving mice and humans that could mean that people with acute myeloid leukemia, a usually fatal cancer, are a step closer to new treatment options.

New key element discovered in pathogenesis of Burkitt lymphoma Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT Burkitt lymphoma is a malignant, fast-growing tumor that originates from a subtype of white blood cells of the immune system and often affects internal organs and the central nervous system. Now researchers of the Max Delbrück Center have identified a key element that transforms the immune cells into malignant lymphoma cells. They developed a mouse model that closely resembles Burkitt lymphoma in humans that may help to test new treatment strategies.

New therapy prevents lung cancer growth in mice Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT Scientists have recently deciphered one of the molecular pathways behind lung cancer. Using this information, the authors have identified an experimental drug, which blocks lung cancer growth in mice.

Protein that helps tumor blood vessels mature could make cancer drugs more effective Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT Since anti-cancer drugs are carried to tumors by the bloodstream, abnormal blood vessel development can hamper delivery. Medical researchers have found a molecule that promotes tumor vessel maturation. This discovery could be used to help tumor-killing therapies more effectively reach their targets.

Common antibiotics pose a rare risk of severe liver injury in older patients Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT The commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics moxifloxacin and levofloxacin are associated with an increased risk of severe liver injury in older people, according to a new study.

New class of proteins allows breast cancer cells to evade tyrosine kinase inhibitors Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:06 AM PDT Aberrant regulation of cell growth pathways is required for normal cells to become cancerous, and in many types of cancer, cell growth is driven by a group of enzymes known as receptor tyrosine kinases. Two groups identify a pair of related oncogenes, FAM83A and B, which allow breast cancer cells to survive TKI treatment.

Existing drugs offer new treatment options for high-risk childhood leukemia subtype Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:05 AM PDT Discovery of the genetic basis of a high-risk subtype of leukemia shows some patients might benefit from existing targeted therapies, advancing the goal of curing all children with the most common childhood cancer

Consumers perceive risk when 'price' means more than money Posted: 13 Aug 2012 09:03 AM PDT When faced with paying for a product or a service with more than money -- say with effort or information -- consumers perceive greater risk in the transaction.

Scientists use light to 'tag and track' genetic processes Posted: 13 Aug 2012 08:55 AM PDT In a new study, researchers outline how they used fluorescent molecules to "tag" DNA and monitor a process called DNA looping, a natural biological mechanism involved in rearranging genetic material in some types of cells. The "tag and track" method not only sheds light on how DNA loops form, but also might be adapted to screen drugs for effectiveness against certain viruses that shuffle genetic material, such as HIV.

Butter flavoring ingredient in microwave popcorn, thought safe for food industry workers, is a respiratory hazard Posted: 13 Aug 2012 08:54 AM PDT The ingredient 2,3-pentanedione (PD), used to impart the flavor and aroma of butter in microwave popcorn, is a respiratory hazard that can also alter gene expression in the brain of rats. Manufacturers started using PD when another butter flavoring, diacetyl, was found to cause bronchiolitis obliterans, a life-threatening and nonreversible lung disease in workers who inhaled the substance.

Diabetes drugs prescribed to more than 15 million Americans raises risk of bladder cancer Posted: 13 Aug 2012 08:54 AM PDT A popular class of diabetes drugs increases patients' risk of bladder cancer, according to a new study that found that patients taking thiazolidinedione (TZDs) drugs – which account for up to 20 percent of the drugs prescribed to diabetics in the United States -- are two to three times more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who took a sulfonylurea drug, another common class of medications for diabetes.

Key culprit causing muscle atrophy identified Posted: 13 Aug 2012 08:54 AM PDT Researchers have identified a key protein that causes muscles to atrophy. The protein, Gadd45a, is responsible for 40 percent of the gene activity associated with muscle deterioration. The finding opens the door to therapies to block Gadd45a and thus to deter muscle atrophy.

Rejected drug may protect against toxic substance common to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:34 AM PDT The second of two studies on latrepirdine demonstrates new potential for the compound in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, sleep disorders, and other neurodegenerative conditions. Scientists found that latrepiridine, known commercially as Dimebon, reduced the level of at least two neurodegeneration-related proteins in mice.

Human embryos frozen for 18 years yield viable stem cells suitable for biomedical research Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:33 AM PDT Even after being frozen for 18 years, human embryos can be thawed, grown in the laboratory, and successfully induced to produce human embryonic stem (ES) cells, which represent a valuable resource for drug screening and medical research.

Three continents, one gene: DNA detectives track down nerve disorder cause Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:32 AM PDT A global hunt for the cause of a crippling inherited nerve disorder has found its target. The discovery opens the door for better diagnosis and treatment of this disease – but also for better understanding of why nerves in the brain's movement-controlling center die, and how to find the causes of other diseases that run in families.

New drug target for schizophrenia identified Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:32 AM PDT Finding provides new drug development opportunity in this hard-to-treat disease.

Enzymes implicated in disease processes attack one another instead of harming body proteins Posted: 13 Aug 2012 06:20 AM PDT Researchers for the first time have shown that members of a family of enzymes known as cathepsins – which are implicated in many disease processes – may attack one another instead of the bodily proteins they normally degrade.

Persistent and loud snoring in young children linked to problem behaviors Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:41 AM PDT Persistent and loud snoring in young children is associated with problem behaviors, according to a new study.

'Harmless' condition shown to alter brain function in elderly Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:41 AM PDT Researchers say a common condition called leukoaraiosis, made up of tiny areas in the brain that have been deprived of oxygen and appear as bright white dots on MRI scans, is not a harmless part of the aging process, but rather a disease that alters brain function in the elderly.

For most older women with early stage breast cancer, radiation after lumpectomy helps prevent need for subsequent mastectomy Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:40 AM PDT Contrary to clinical recommendations, older women with early stage breast cancer may want to undergo radiation after lumpectomy to help ensure that they will not need a mastectomy in the future. New findings indicate that current thinking on the risks and benefits of radiation for early stage breast cancer in older women may be inaccurate.

Blood cancer cells initiate signalling cascade Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:40 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered how pathological cells activate themselves in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. They have identified a new mechanism that causes immune cells to convert into malignant cancer cells. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, one of the most common types of blood cancer in the Western world, cells themselves carry the key for the pathogenic transformation, the scientists report.

New bacteria-resistant materials discovered Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:40 AM PDT Using state-of-the-art technology, scientists at have discovered a new class of polymers that are resistant to bacterial attachment. These new materials could lead to a significant reduction in hospital infections and medical device failures.

Fruity science halves fat in chocolate Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:40 AM PDT It may not make chocolate one of your five a day - but scientists have found a way to replace up to 50 per cent of its fat content with fruit juice.

New light shed on important metabolite in bacteria Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:40 AM PDT Scientists have collected the first precise data ever on the function of a transport protein for formate – an important metabolite in bacteria. The findings could potentially lead to the development of new antibiotic active ingredients.

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