You Can Be Replaced: Immune Cells Compensate For Defective DNA Repair Factor (September 8, 2008) -- A new mouse model has provided some surprising insight into XLF, a molecule that helps to repair lethal DNA damage. The research suggests that although XLF shares many properties with well known DNA repair factors, certain cells of the immune system possess an unexpected compensatory mechanism that that can take over for nonfunctional XLF. ... > full story
Change In HER2 Status Found After Treating Breast Cancer Patients With Herceptin (September 8, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that when treated with Herceptin prior to surgery, 50 percent of HER2 positive, breast cancer patients showed no signs of disease at the time of surgery. However, of those women who had residual disease, about one-third had tumors that converted from HER2 positive to HER 2 negative status -- possibly indicating a resistance to the targeted therapy. ... > full story
Age, Income And Marital Status: Socio-demographic Factors Influence Costs Of Back Pain (September 8, 2008) -- It is well-known that back pain belongs to the most frequent health problems in the industrial nations and, it is also well-known that it is the cause of considerable costs for health insurance schemes and the economy. Researchers have now scrutinized socio-demographic variables of patients as potential cost-influencing parameters. ... > full story
Atomic Structure Of The Mammalian 'Fatty Acid Factory' Determined (September 8, 2008) -- Mammalian fatty acid synthase is one of the most complex molecular synthetic machines in human cells. It is also a promising target for the development of anti-cancer and anti-obesity drugs and the treatment of metabolic disorders. Now researchers have determined the atomic structure of a mammalian fatty acid synthase. ... > full story
How STDs Increase The Risk Of Becoming Infected With HIV (September 8, 2008) -- Individuals who have a sexually transmitted disease and women with yeast and bacterial vaginal infections have an increased risk of becoming infected with HIV if exposed to the virus through sexual contact. New research has provided a new explanation as to how and why STDs have this effect. ... > full story
AMD and Vision Loss: Low-Luminance Study Yields a New Predictive Tool (September 8, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a simple and inexpensive way to predict the rapid loss of visual acuity, the ability to see detail, in "dry" AMD patients. ... > full story
Free Drug Samples May End Up Costing Uninsured More (September 8, 2008) -- Free drug samples provided to physicians by pharmaceutical companies could actually be costing uninsured patients more in the long run, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists Identify Genetic Link That May Neutralize HIV (September 7, 2008) -- A genetic target may provide a significant new opportunity for vaccine or therapeutic development. Scientists have uncovered new evidence that strengthens the link between a host-cell gene called Apobec3 and the production of neutralizing antibodies to retroviruses. The finding adds a new dimension to the set of possible explanations for why most people who are infected with HIV do not make neutralizing antibodies that effectively fight the virus. ... > full story
Defibrillators Save Lives, Don't Diminish Quality Of Life, Researchers Find (September 7, 2008) -- Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators reduce the risk of death from sudden cardiac arrest among patients with heart failure, and they do so without significantly altering a person's quality of life, say researchers from Duke University Medical Center. ... > full story
Sexologists Can Infer A Woman's History of Orgasms By The Way She Walks (September 7, 2008) -- A new study found that trained sexologists could infer a woman's history of vaginal orgasm by observing the way she walks. ... > full story
Fatal Protein Interactions May Explain Neurological Diseases (September 7, 2008) -- Researchers have investigated how proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease interact to form unique complexes. Their findings explain why Alzheimer's patients might develop Parkinson's, and vice versa. The new and unique molecular structures they discovered can now be used to model and develop new drugs for these devastating neurological diseases. ... > full story
Cardiac Cell Transplant Studies Show Promise In Cardiac Tissue Repair (September 7, 2008) -- Two studies involving cardiac cell transplantation have shown an evolving role for bone marrow cells in cardiac cell therapy. The implantation of heart muscle cells and subsequent restoration of cardiac function was enhanced when bone marrow cells were implanted along with the cardiomyocytes. Researchers also found that mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow provided an advantage over fetal amniotic fluid derived cells when differentiating into appropriate cells for cardiac cell transplantation and repair. ... > full story
What A Sleep Study Can Reveal About Fibromyalgia (September 7, 2008) -- Research engineers and sleep medicine specialists from two Michigan universities have joined technical and clinical hands to put innovative technologies to work in the sleep lab. ... > full story
Chemobrain Treatment? Potential Remedy For The 'Mental Fog' In Cancer Patients (September 7, 2008) -- Cancer patients have complained for years about the mental fog known as chemobrain. Now in animal studies, researchers have discovered that injections of N-acetyl cysteine, an antioxidant, can prevent the memory loss that breast cancer chemotherapy drugs sometimes induce. . ... > full story
Exercise Reduces Damage After Therapeutic Irradiation To The Brain (September 7, 2008) -- Researchers has shown for the first time that exercise helps restore stem cell growth and improves behavior in young mice that suffered damage to the brain induced by a clinically relevant dose of radiation. The researchers believe that these results are also applicable to children that have suffered damage due to radiotherapy of brain tumors. ... > full story
A Virtuous Cycle: Safety In Numbers For Bicycle Riders (September 7, 2008) -- It seems paradoxical but the more people ride bicycles on our city streets, the less likely they are to be injured in traffic accidents. International research reveals that as cycling participation increases, a cyclist is far less likely to collide with a motor vehicle or suffer injury and death - and what's true for cyclists is true for pedestrians. ... > full story
Add-On Therapy Improves Depressive Symptoms In Bipolar Disorder (September 7, 2008) -- Lingering depression is a serious and common problem in bipolar disorder, and does not resolve well with existing treatments. Because individuals with both depression and bipolar disorder experience a glutathione deficiency, an antioxidant that protects cells from toxins, researchers sought to evaluate whether N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an over-the-counter supplement that increases brain glutathione, might help alleviate depressive symptoms. ... > full story
Oxidative Stress: Mechanism Of Cell Death Clarified (September 7, 2008) -- Scientists have decrypted the molecular mechanism through which the death of cells is caused by oxidative stress. This knowledge opens novel perspectives to systematically explore the benefit of targeted therapeutic interventions in the cure of aging and stress-related degenerative diseases. ... > full story
Social Psychology Can Be Used To Understand Nuclear Restraint (September 7, 2008) -- Social psychology is the study of how people and groups interact. A new study shows how social psychology can help us better understand the puzzle of nuclear restraint and uses the case of Japan to illustrate social psychology on nuclear decision-making. ... > full story
Chandelier Cells Unveil Human Cognition (September 6, 2008) -- What is it that distinguishes humans from other mammals? The answer to this question lies in the neocortex -- the part of the brain responsible for sensory perceptions, conscious thought and language. Humans have a considerably larger neocortex than other mammals, making it an ideal subject for the research of higher cognition. Scientists now reveal new insights into the mysteries of neocortex organization and function. ... > full story
Arteries From Distinct Regions Of The Body Have Unique Immune Functions (September 6, 2008) -- Arteries play an active role in the immune system by sensing infection and injury. They collect information about invaders through dendritic cells embedded in their walls. Arteries supplying blood to distinct parts of the body specialize in recognizing different bacterial signals. ... > full story
Action As A Goal May Be Too Broad, New Research Suggests (September 6, 2008) -- A series of experiments suggest that society's emphasis on action over inaction may lead to unforeseen consequences. The findings could help understand how common words used in everyday life may influence conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder. ... > full story
Unsuccessful Drug Against Anxiety Opens A Novel Gateway For The Treatment Of Cancer (September 6, 2008) -- An unsatisfying drug for anxiety reveals to scientists a promising novel anti-cancer drug target. Cancer cells have multiple ways to avoid apoptosis, programmed cell death the means by which organisms deal with defective cells. One defense is to produce quantities of phosphatic acid, a phospholipid constituent of cellular membranes. ... > full story
Virology: How Does Herpes Simplex Virus Cause Inflammation Of The Brain? (September 6, 2008) -- Worldwide, about 80% of young adults are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). The most common symptom of infection is a cold sore, but in some individuals the virus can also cause life-threatening inflammation of the brain (encephalitis); 70% of individuals who do not get treatment for this condition die. ... > full story
Should Nurses Replace GPs As Frontline Providers Of Primary Care? (September 6, 2008) -- Should nurses be the frontline providers of primary care, taking the place of general practitioners as the first point of patient contact? Two experts debate the issue. Nurses can deliver as high quality care as general practitioners in most areas of general practice including preventive health care, the management of long term conditions, and first contact care for people with minor illness, according to one expert. ... > full story
Living Donor Liver Transplants May Drastically Decrease Mortality From Liver Failure (September 6, 2008) -- Patients with acute liver failure could be saved by a transplant from a living donor, according to a new study. The recent experience of US patients shows that recipient mortality rates and donor morbidity rates are acceptable. ... > full story
Nutritional Research Vindicates Diet Programs (September 6, 2008) -- Popular slimming programs do result in reduced energy intake while providing enough nutrients. A new scientific analysis provides comprehensive dietary data about Slim Fast, Atkins, Weight Watchers and Rosemary Conley's "Eat Yourself Slim" Diet & Fitness Plan. ... > full story
Infant Abductions Increase In Private And Public Places (September 6, 2008) -- A new study, based on 23 years of data collection, showed that while the number of abductions in hospital settings dramatically declined, those from private homes and public places have increased in incidence. Among private home and public place abductions, there has also been an increase in violence and lower infant recovery rates. ... > full story
Massive Cancer Gene Search Finds Potential New Targets In Brain Tumors (September 5, 2008) -- An array of broken, missing and overactive genes have been identified in a genetic survey of glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of adult brain cancer, report scientists. The large-scale combing of the brain cancer genome confirms the key roles of some previously known mutated genes and implicates a variety of other genetic changes that may be targets for future therapies. ... > full story
How To Spot A Heart Attack Soon After It Occurs (September 5, 2008) -- The sooner an individual who has had a heart attack is treated, the better their chance of survival and the less permanent damage is done to their heart. A recent paper details a new method for early detection of a heart attack that researchers used to observe changes in the blood of individuals who had had a heart attack as soon as 10 minutes after the event. ... > full story
Ebola Cell-invasion Strategy Uncovered (September 5, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a key biochemical link in the process by which the Ebola Zaire virus infects cells -- a critical step to finding a way to treat the deadly disease produced by the virus. ... > full story
Link Between Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes And Neurodegeneration Found (September 5, 2008) -- Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus can contribute to mild neurodegeneration with features common with Alzheimer's disease -- the first study to show that obesity can cause neurodegeneration. ... > full story
Low-birth-weight Children Should Have Their Blood Pressure Checked, Researchers Find (September 5, 2008) -- Blood pressure in low-birth-weight children younger than 3 years of age not only can be measured but should be, researchers have found. ... > full story
Hallucinations In The Flash Of An Eye (September 5, 2008) -- Specific brain regions show increased activity during hallucinations. Researchers introduce a new experimental approach to studying hallucinations as they occur. ... > full story
Yale Researchers Find 'Junk DNA' May Have Triggered Key Evolutionary Changes In Human Thumb And Foot (September 5, 2008) -- Out of the 3 billion genetic letters that spell out the human genome, Yale scientists have found a handful that may have contributed to the evolutionary changes in human limbs that enabled us to manipulate tools and walk upright. ... > full story
Infectious, Test Tube-produced Prions Can Jump The 'Species Barrier' (September 5, 2008) -- Researchers have shown that they can create entirely new strains of infectious proteins known as prions in the laboratory by simply mixing infectious prions from one species with the normal prion proteins of another species. ... > full story
How Salmonella Bacteria Contaminate Salad Leaves (September 5, 2008) -- How does Salmonella bacteria cause food poisoning by attaching to salad leaves? A new study shows how some Salmonella bacteria use the long stringy appendages they normally use to help them "swim" and move about to attach themselves to salad leaves and other vegetables, causing contamination and a health risk. ... > full story
Promising Method For Reducing MRSA Infections In Hospitals (September 5, 2008) -- Researchers report that switching between two antibiotics, linezolid and vancomycin, every three months in the surgical ICU decreased the MRSA infection rate from 1.9 to 1.4 patients per 100 admissions. In-hospital mortality from surgical ICU-acquired MRSA infections fell from 3.8 patients per year to none. ... > full story
Thinking People Eat Too Much: Intellectual Work Found To Induce Excessive Calorie Intake (September 5, 2008) -- Scientists have demonstrated that intellectual work induces a substantial increase in calorie intake. The details of this discovery could go some way to explaining the current obesity epidemic. ... > full story
No Connection Between Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccine And Autism, Study Suggests (September 5, 2008) -- In a case-control study, the presence of measles virus RNA was no more likely in children with autism and GI disturbances than in children with only GI disturbances. Furthermore, GI symptom and autism onset were unrelated to MMR vaccine timing. ... > full story
Children With TVs Or Computers In Their Room Sleep Less (September 5, 2008) -- Middle school children who have a television or computer in their room sleep less during the school year, watch more TV, play more computer games and surf the net more than their peers who don't. ... > full story
Innate Immune System Targets Asthma-linked Fungus For Destruction (September 5, 2008) -- A new study shows that the innate immune system of humans is capable of killing a fungus linked to airway inflammation, chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma. Researchers have revealed that eosinophils, a particular type of white blood cell, exert a strong immune response against the environmental fungus Alternaria alternata. ... > full story
Age-related Memory Loss Tied To Slip In Filtering Information Quickly (September 5, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a way in which the brain's ability to process information diminishes with age, and shown that this break down contributes to the decreased ability to form memories that is associated with normal aging. ... > full story
New Drug Protects Against Second Heart Attack Or Stroke, Study Suggests (September 5, 2008) -- Data from a Phase II study of an investigational drug designed to block formation of blood clots show potential for added protection against a second heart attack or stroke among patients who are already taking state-of-the-art prevention therapy, according to researchers. ... > full story
Asymptomatic Carotid Plaque Healing Mechanisms Observed (September 5, 2008) -- Researchers have observed a noninvasive MR imaging a healing mechanism for plaque rupture, a potentially life-threatening event in the cardiovascular system that can result in a fatal heart attack or debilitating stroke. The untimely death of well-known television journalist Tim Russert, was due to the sudden rupture of a vulnerable plaque in a critical location in a coronary artery. ... > full story
Spending Time In Intensive Care Unit Can Traumatize Kids (September 5, 2008) -- Scientists have developed the Children's Critical Illness Impact Scale to measure psychological distress in children following hospital discharge. This is the first self-report scale ever created to measure the psychological impact of intensive care unit hospitalization on children. ... > full story
Toxic Plastics: Bisphenol A Linked To Metabolic Syndrome In Human Tissue (September 5, 2008) -- New research implicates the primary chemical used to produce hard plastics -- bisphenol A (BPA) -- as a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome and its consequences. ... > full story
World Cancer Declaration Sets Ambitious Targets For 2020 (September 5, 2008) -- A summit of more than 60 high-level policymakers, leaders and health experts have adopted a global plan aimed at tackling the growing cancer crisis in developing countries. The plan, contained in the World Cancer Declaration, recommends a set of 11 cancer-busting targets for 2020 and outlines priority steps that need to be taken in order to meet them. It was presented Sunday at the close of the World Cancer Congress in Geneva. ... > full story
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