Cochlear Implants In Children A Safe Procedure, Study Suggests (September 26, 2008) -- In the six decades since French and American surgeons implanted the first cochlear hearing devices, the procedure in children has become reliable, safe, and relatively free of severe complications, according to new research. ... > full story
Young Women With Early Form Of Breast Cancer No More Likely To Experience Recurrence Than Older Women (September 26, 2008) -- Young women with DCIS, a common form of early breast cancer that arises in and is confined to the mammary ducts, are presumed more likely to have recurrences than older women with the same diagnosis. But a new study from Fox Chase Cancer Center rebuffs this conventional thinking. ... > full story
Coming Soon: Self-guided, Computer-based Depression Treatment (September 26, 2008) -- Depression is a problem that could affect astronauts during long-duration spaceflights. Scientists are now developing a self-guided, multimedia program that will assist astronauts in recognizing and effectively managing depression and other psychosocial problems. In addition to protecting astronaut health, the system could have applications for health care on Earth, especially in rural locations where access to professional help is limited. ... > full story
Antioxidant Deficiency Linked To Pulmonary Hypertension (September 26, 2008) -- A recent study shows that a loss of antioxidants in the endothelial cells that line blood vessels in the lungs contributes to the loss of vasodilator effects and, ultimately, to the development of pulmonary hypertension. The findings appear in Clinical and Translational Science. ... > full story
Better Understanding Of Blood Vessel Constrictor Needed To Harness Its Power For Patients (September 26, 2008) -- To harness endothelin-1's power to constrict blood vessels and help patients manage high blood pressure or heart failure, scientists must learn more about how endothelin functions naturally and in disease states, says a Medical College of Georgia researcher. ... > full story
Increasing General Practice Opening Hours Could Prevent Recurrent Strokes (September 26, 2008) -- Increasing general practice opening hours would improve the opportunity for assessment and urgent referral to specialist care of patients with a transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke, which could prevent over 500 recurrent strokes a year in England alone, concludes a new study. ... > full story
Hospital Residents Report Patient-handoff Problems Common, Can Lead To Patient Harm (September 26, 2008) -- A significant percentage of resident physicians report that patient handoffs -- transfer of responsibility for a hospitalized patient from one resident to another -- contributed to incidents in which harm was done to patients. A new study identifies situations in which problematic handoffs are more likely to occur and factors that may interfere with the smooth transfer of crucial information. ... > full story
American Kids Most Medicated (September 25, 2008) -- American children are approximately three times more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medication than children in Europe. A new study published in the journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health claims that the differences may be accounted for by regulatory practices and cultural beliefs about the role of medication in emotional and behavioral problems. ... > full story
New Laboratory Technique Improves Success In 'Highly Sensitized' Kidney Transplants (September 25, 2008) -- Kidney transplant specialists have developed innovative laboratory techniques to improve opportunities and success rates for kidney transplant candidates who are at high risk of organ rejection because of previous exposure to donor antigens, according to a new article. ... > full story
Emotional People Likely To Move Away, But Not Likely To Move Often (September 25, 2008) -- The results suggest that personality traits determine not only where people relocate to, but also how often they move and how far away they move. People who are very emotional are more likely to move away from home, but do not migrate very far and do not move very often. People with very social personalities are more inclined to leave rural settings for urban areas and are more likely to migrate over long distances. ... > full story
Bladder Cancer Detected Via Amplified Gene In Cells Found In Urine (September 25, 2008) -- Counting the copies of a specific gene in cells gathered from a urine sample may provide a simple, noninvasive way to detect bladder cancer, researchers report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. ... > full story
Aspirin And Atherosclerosis: Mechanism Uncovered (September 25, 2008) -- Researchers have uncovered the mechanism that may explain aspirin's ability to prevent arterial plaque buildup and atherosclerosis. ... > full story
What To Do With Leftover Embryos In Fertility Clinics? (September 25, 2008) -- The majority of infertility patients are in favor of using left-over embryos for stem cell research and would also support selling left-over embryos to other couples, according to a recent survey. ... > full story
Epilepsy, Autism, Schizophrenia: Master Switch That 'Balances The Brain' Found (September 25, 2008) -- Neuroscientists have identified the first known "master switch" to orchestrate the formation and maintenance of inhibitory synapses on neurons, essential for proper brain function. The switch, called Npas4, regulates more than 200 genes that calm over-excited cells, restoring a balance that is thought to go askew in neurologic disorders like epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia. Inhibitory connections are also required to launch critical periods, when the brain can readily rewire and learn. ... > full story
Statins Increase Risk Of Postoperative Delirium In Elderly Patients, Study Suggests (September 25, 2008) -- The use of statins is associated with a 28 percent increased risk of postoperative delirium in elderly patients, scientists found in a retrospective cohort analysis involving more than 280 000 patients. ... > full story
Burden Of Neglected Tropical Diseases In Latin America And Caribbean May Exceed That Of HIV/AIDS, TB And Malaria (September 25, 2008) -- According to a new analysis, neglected tropical diseases as a group may have surpassed HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as the most prevalent infectious diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean. ... > full story
Stopping Cancer Cells Before They Start? Inhibitor Of Gene Regulator Discovered (September 25, 2008) -- A chemist has discovered a molecule that can potentially stop the production of cancer cells at the very beginning of the process by switching off the gene regulators responsible for turning healthy cells into cancer cells. The discovery could lead to the development of drugs that can treat some of the deadliest forms of cancer, including brain cancer. ... > full story
Whole Brain Radiation Increases Risk Of Learning And Memory Problems In Cancer Patients (September 25, 2008) -- Cancer patients who receive stereotactic radiosurgery and whole brain radiation therapy for the treatment of metastatic brain tumors have more than twice the risk of developing learning and memory problems than those treated with SRS alone, according to new research. ... > full story
Obesity Surgery Performed Through Vagina, U.S. First (September 25, 2008) -- Surgeons have performed the nation's first gastrectomy, a partial removal of the stomach, through the vagina. This new "natural orifice" technique may be an attractive alternative for the 200,000 U.S. patients who undergo surgery for the treatment of obesity each year. ... > full story
New Instrument Can Quickly Examine Multiple Proteins In A Single Cancer Sample (September 25, 2008) -- Researchers have demonstrated a new instrument that makes it possible to detect and quantify multiple different clinically important proteins in a single tumor sample using conventional staining. Currently, pathologists usually need a separate tissue slice for each protein they want to examine, making it impossible to see how molecules interact within individual cells. ... > full story
Political Conservatives Fear Chaos; Liberals Fear Emptiness (September 25, 2008) -- Political conservatives operate out of a fear of chaos and absence of order while political liberals operate out of a fear of emptiness, a new study finds. Social scientists long have assumed that liberals are more rational and less fearful than conservatives, but new research finds that both groups view the world as "a dangerous place." To better understand the differences, researchers asked 128 socially active churchgoers: what if there were no God? ... > full story
New Virus Is Culprit, Not Bystander, In Deadly Skin Cancer (September 25, 2008) -- Scientists are uncovering more evidence that a virus they recently discovered is the cause of Merkel cell carcinoma, an aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. The findings put to rest the possibility that MCV infects tumors that already have formed. If that were the case, the virus would be a passenger rather than the driver of the disease. ... > full story
Study Of 'Big Eaters' Could Lead To Better Asthma Treatments (September 25, 2008) -- A new study into the role of a particular immune cell in the lungs could lead to better treatments for the 5 million people in the UK affected by asthma. ... > full story
Caffeine Experts Call For Warning Labels For Energy Drinks (September 25, 2008) -- Scientists who have spent decades researching the effects of caffeine report that a slew of caffeinated energy drinks now on the market should carry prominent labels that note caffeine doses and warn of potential health risks for consumers. ... > full story
Rare Genetic Disorder Gives Clues To Autism, Epilepsy, Mental Retardation (September 25, 2008) -- Studying a rare genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex, researchers have uncovered a possible cause of some neurodevelopmental disorders: structural abnormalities in neurons. The growth of too many axons, resulting in an exuberance of brain connections, supports recent thinking that autism, epilepsy and mental retardation (all common complications of TSC) stem at least partly from abnormal brain connectivity. The researchers also found, in mice, that normal neuronal structure can potentially be restored. ... > full story
HPV DNA Test Identifies Cervical Pre-cancerous Disease In Developing Countries With 90% Success Rate (September 25, 2008) -- Results of the first study to determine the accuracy of a new rapid screening test for HPV created specifically for use in the developing world, have shown it to be 90 percent accurate in detecting precancerous cervical disease when tested on a group of local women in Shanxi province, eastern China. ... > full story
Split In Perception Of Similarity Could Double Web Advertising (September 25, 2008) -- Psychology researchers have found a radical 50/50 split in how people decide "What makes two things seem similar?". This research could mean that some advertisers and marketers could be failing to reach up to half of their potential audience and it could double the number of opportunities available in key web advertising methods such as Google AdWords. ... > full story
New Drug Target For Inflammatory Disease Discovered (September 25, 2008) -- Researchers have defined a cellular process that promotes inflammation and, at the same time, found an important starting point for identifying and testing new drugs for diseases such as sepsis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. ... > full story
Isoflavone Dietary Supplement Improves Functioning Of Arteries In Stroke Patients (September 25, 2008) -- A dietary supplement containing isoflavone -- a chemical found in soybeans, chickpeas, legumes and clovers -- can improve artery function in stroke patients according to new research. ... > full story
Compounds That Prevent Nerve Damage Discovered (September 24, 2008) -- Scientists have made a significant finding that could lead to better drugs for several degenerative diseases including Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Compounds that block the activity of a specific enzyme prevented brain injury and greatly improved survival in fruit flies that had the same disease process found in Huntington's disease. ... > full story
European Research Effort Tackles Dangerous Mould (September 24, 2008) -- Ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus poses an increasing threat to patients with compromised immune systems. The European Science Foundation has launched a new Research Networking Programme, FUMINOMICS, to study the basic genetic and molecular mechanisms employed by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus when infecting host cells. ... > full story
What Is The Best Strategy For Treating Helicobacter Pylori? (September 24, 2008) -- The best treatment for Helicobacter pylori is not yet established. The organism is becoming resistant to some of the treatments. This study compared the standard three drug treatment with a four drug treatment in a rural hospital in UK. They concluded that four drugs remain the best option for white Caucasians in rural UK, except for some the side effects. ... > full story
Holiday Drug Taking Linked To Acts Of Violence (September 24, 2008) -- A new study shows that high levels of drug and alcohol consumption are behind the growth in violence among young tourists. The research work, focusing on Mallorca and Ibiza in Spain, shows that 5% of tourists visiting these areas become involved in some kind of violence during their stay. Ecstasy was the only drug consumed that the scientists have not linked to violent acts. ... > full story
Scientists Deliver Toxic Genes To Effectively Kill Pancreatic Cancer Cells (September 24, 2008) -- Investigators have achieved a substantial "kill" of pancreatic cancer cells by using nanoparticles to successfully deliver a deadly diphtheria toxin gene. The findings reflect the first time this unique strategy has been tested in pancreatic cancer cells, and the success seen offers promise for future pre-clinical animal studies, and possibly, a new clinical approach. ... > full story
Human Or Animal Faces Associated With At Least 90 Percent Of Cars By One-third Of Population (September 24, 2008) -- A new study investigated whether people ascribed certain traits to cars, as they do to human faces. One-third of the subjects associated a human or animal face with at least 90 percent of the cars. All subjects marked eyes (headlights), a mouth (air intake/grille), and a nose in more than 50 percent of the cars. Overall, people agreed which type of car possesses certain traits. The authors found that people liked cars most which had a wide stance, a narrow windshield, and/or widely spaced, narrow headlights. ... > full story
Stopping Smoking Reduces Postoperative Complications, Study Shows (September 24, 2008) -- Patients who stop smoking four weeks before an operation reduce the risk of complications, according to a new research. Moreover, many of those who receive help with this ahead of operations remain non-smokers for a long time afterwards. ... > full story
New, More Sensitive Nanotechnology Test For Chemical DNA Modifications Developed (September 24, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a novel test to screen for chemical modifications to DNA known as methylation. The technology potentially could be used both for early cancer diagnoses and for assessing patients' response to cancer therapies. ... > full story
Plant Antioxidant May Protect Against Radiation Exposure (September 24, 2008) -- Resveratrol, the natural antioxidant commonly found in red wine and many plants, may offer protection against radiation exposure, according to a new study. When altered with acetyl, resveratrol administered before radiation exposure proved to protect cells from radiation in mouse models. ... > full story
Breast MRI Scan Could Determine Need For Radiation Therapy (September 24, 2008) -- For women whose breast cancer has spread to their lymph nodes, a magnetic resonance imaging scan could replace exploratory surgery as the method for determining whether those women need radiation therapy to treat their disease, according to a study. ... > full story
New Technology Takes On Food Safety, Wastage And Inaccurate 'Best Before' Dates (September 24, 2008) -- Advances in sensing technology will help to reduce the wastage from 'farm to fork' that's contributing to the UK's £10 billion food wastage bill. ... > full story
'Casual' Smokers Have A Greater Risk Of Hazardous Drinking And Alcohol-use Disorders (September 24, 2008) -- Smokers are more likely to drink and drink heavily, and heavy smokers also tend to be heavy drinkers. New findings indicate that nondaily or "casual" smoking among young adults confers a greater risk of hazardous drinking and alcohol-use disorders. Casual smokers were 16 times more likely than non-smokers to be hazardous drinkers, and five times more likely to meet criteria for an AUD. ... > full story
Source Of Multipotent Stem Cells With Broad Regenerative Potential identified (September 24, 2008) -- In a promising finding for the field of regenerative medicine, stem cell researchers have identified a source of adult stem cells found on the walls of blood vessels with the unlimited potential to differentiate into human tissues such as bone, cartilage and muscle. ... > full story
Honeybee Venom Toxin Used To Develop New Tool For Studying Hypertension (September 24, 2008) -- Researchers have modified a honeybee venom toxin so that it can be used as a tool to study the inner workings of ion channels that control heart rate and the recycling of salt in kidneys. ... > full story
Strong Association Found Between Prevalence Of Low White Blood Count And Women Of African Descent (September 24, 2008) -- Researchers found a strong association between women of African descent from the US and Caribbean, who are otherwise healthy, and the prevalence of neutropenia, or low white blood count. Neutropenia, which is associated with race and ethnicity, has essentially been unexplained and, although thought to be benign, may affect therapy for cancer or other illnesses. Among women of African descent who develop a malignancy, this association may contribute to racial disparities in treatment and outcomes. ... > full story
Hidden Infections Crucial To Understanding, Controlling Disease Outbreaks (September 24, 2008) -- Scientists and news organizations typically focus on the number of dead and gravely ill during epidemics, but new research suggests that less dramatic, mild infections lurking in large numbers of people are the key to understanding cycles of at least one potentially fatal infectious disease: cholera. ... > full story
Un-total Recall: Amnesics Remember Grammar, But Not Meaning Of New Sentences (September 24, 2008) -- Scientists examined which type of memory function contributes to syntactic persistence by comparing amnesics with a group of control volunteers. The amnesics in this study experience anterograde amnesia and exhibit problems forming new memories — they cannot remember facts & events that occurred following their head injury. However, their procedural memory is still intact. For example, these patients will not remember that they received a new bike, but they will improve at riding the bike. ... > full story
New Vaccine Element Could Generate Better Protection From Avian Influenza (September 24, 2008) -- Current vaccines for influenza provide protection against specific seasonal influenza A strains and their close relatives, but not against more distant seasonal influenza A viruses and new avian influenza A viruses, such as H5N1, which still poses a real global health concern. However, new data have been generated that suggest adding a new component to vaccines for influenza might enable them to confer protection against a broader range of avian and seasonal influenza A viruses. ... > full story
New 3D Visualization Tool For Early Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer (September 24, 2008) -- Scientists from Finland, Germany and the ESRF have developed a new X-ray technique for the early detection of breast cancer. This allows a 3D visualization of the breast with a high spatial resolution and is extremely sensitive to alterations in the tissue, such as those generated by cancer. This technique could be used in the next years in hospitals. It may help doctors to detect tumours with greater precision than is possible using current X-ray mammography. ... > full story
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