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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Patients with heart block see strong benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:11 PM PST

Heart failure patients with a condition called "heart block" derive significant benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy, according to the results of the Block HF clinical trial.

DNA sequencing of infants and children with anatomical defects of unknown causes

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:11 PM PST

A one-year-old research initiative has brought together researchers, clinicians and policy experts to tackle the challenges of incorporating new genomic technologies into the clinical care of newborns, infants and children with anatomical defects whose causes are unknown.

Humans, chimpanzees and monkeys share DNA but not gene regulatory mechanisms

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:11 PM PST

Up to 40 percent of the differences in the expression or activity patterns of genes between humans, chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys can be explained by regulatory mechanisms that determine whether and how a gene's recipe for a protein is transcribed to the RNA molecule that carries the recipe instructions to the sites in cells where proteins are manufactured.

New method helps link genomic variation to protein production

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:11 PM PST

By adopting a novel approach for determining the effect of genetic variation on efficiency of the biological process that translates a gene's DNA sequence into a protein, researchers found that translational differences between mRNAs that differ only slightly from one another can be detected at a transcriptome-wide scale. The transcriptome refers to the multiple types of RNAs that function in a cell.

Head-to-head trial of two diabetes drugs yields mixed results

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:10 PM PST

Daily injections of liraglutide were slightly more effective than weekly injections of exenatide in lowering blood sugar and promoting weight loss. However, patients had fewer negative side effects on exenatide once weekly.

Breast cancer drug could halt other tumors

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:19 PM PST

A drug commonly used in treating breast cancer could have far wider benefits, offering a new way of preventing cancers spreading through the body, according to a new study.

Discovery may help nerve regeneration in spinal injury

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:19 PM PST

Scientists have uncovered a possible new method of enhancing nerve repair in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

Leisure-time physical activity extends life expectancy as much as 4.5 years

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:19 PM PST

Leisure-time physical activity is associated with longer life expectancy, even at relatively low levels of activity and regardless of body weight, according to a new study. The study found that people who engaged in leisure-time physical activity had life expectancy gains of as much as 4.5 years.

Small change in defibrillator therapy leads to huge benefits for heart patients

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:19 PM PST

A new study shows that defibrillators -- devices designed to detect and correct dangerous heart rhythms -- can help heart disease patients live longer, and with a much better quality of life, than they do now. A simple change in the way doctors set the device led to an 80 to 90 percent reduction in inappropriate shocks, which are painful and can lead to anxiety/depression. It also helped patients live longer, reducing the risk of death by 55 percent.

Anti-tobacco policies responsible for Brazil's big success in reducing smoking rates

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:19 PM PST

Smoking rates in Brazil have dropped by half over the past two decades thanks to strict tobacco control policies, according to a study by US and Brazilian researchers.

New monoclonal antibody inhibits tumour growth in advanced solid tumours in a phase I clinical trial

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:17 PM PST

A newly developed antibody targeting a signalling pathway that is frequently active in solid tumors has shown encouraging signs of efficacy in its first trial in humans, researchers report.

Scientists test 5,000 combinations of 100 existing cancer drugs to find more effective treatments

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:17 PM PST

Scientists in the United States have tested all possible pairings of the 100 cancer drugs approved for use in patients in order to discover whether there are any combinations not tried previously that are effective in certain cancers.

Mothers’ age at menopause may predict daughters’ ovarian reserve

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:17 PM PST

A mother's age at menopause may predict her daughter's fertility in terms of the numbers of eggs remaining in her ovaries, according to the new research.

Saber-toothed cats and bear dogs: How they made cohabitation work

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 04:16 PM PST

The fossilized fangs of saber-toothed cats hold clues to how the extinct mammals shared space and food with other large predators 9 million years ago.

Virtual reality could help people lose weight, fight prejudice

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 01:21 PM PST

When an individual strongly identifies with the virtual reality representation of themselves, known as an avatar, the electronic doppelganger can influence that person's health and appearance, according to a new study. Harnessing the power of the virtual world could lead to new forms of obesity treatment and help break down racial and sexual prejudices.

New drug significantly lowers bad cholesterol

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 11:35 AM PST

New research finds that AMG 145 added to statin therapy can reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 66 percent.

Two years out, patients receiving stem cell therapy show sustained heart function improvement, study suggests

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 11:35 AM PST

Medical researchers have reported that after two years, all patients receiving autologous stem cell therapy show improvement in heart function, with an overall 12.9 absolute unit increase in left ventricular ejection fraction.

Cancer data in the 'cloud' could lead to more effective treatment

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 11:35 AM PST

Researchers are using cloud technology to collect information from thousands of cancer cell samples. The goal is to help doctors better predict how a patient's illness will progress and what type of treatment will be most effective.

New way to inhibit blood clotting and inflammation

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:56 AM PST

Scientists have identified a group of small molecules that target a compound that initiates multiple steps in blood clotting, including those that lead to the obstruction of veins or arteries, a condition called thrombosis. Blocking the activity of this compound, polyphosphate, could treat thrombosis with fewer bleeding side effects than the drugs that are currently on the market.

Heart failure patients treated by a cardiologist, rather than hospitalist, have fewer readmissions

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:56 AM PST

When a cardiologist attends to heart failure patients, even when the severity of illness is higher, patients have reduced rates of hospital readmissions, compared with those patients who are treated by a hospitalist, according to a new trial.

Early treatment sparks striking brain changes in autism

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:56 AM PST

When given early treatment, children with autism spectrum disorders made significant improvements in behavior, communication, and most strikingly, brain function, researchers report.

New bacteria to fight against intestinal inflammation

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:56 AM PST

Medical researchers have produced "beneficial bacteria" capable of protecting the body against intestinal inflammation.

75 percent of patients taking popular blood-thinners on wrong dose: Millions at risk for uncontrolled bleeding or blood clots

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:55 AM PST

Cardiology researchers have found that approximately 75 percent of patients taking two common blood-thinning drugs may be receiving the wrong dosage levels, according to a new study. This could put them at risk for serious problems like uncontrolled bleeding or developing blood clots.

Challenge facing designers of future computer chips: Surprising findings could influence material choices in nanoelectronics

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:54 AM PST

Surprising findings could influence material choices in nanoelectronics.

Losing weight, especially in the belly, improves sleep quality

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:54 AM PST

Weight loss, whether it's from dietary changes alone or from diet combined with exercise, can help improve the quality of sleep among people who are overweight or obese, according to a new study

NASA radar images Asteroid 2007 PA8

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:29 AM PST

Scientists working with NASA's 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., have obtained several radar images depicting near-Earth asteroid 2007 PA8. The images were generated from data collected at Goldstone on Oct. 28, 29 and 30, 2012. The asteroid's distance from Earth on Oct. 28 was 6.5 million miles (10 million kilometers). The asteroid's distance to Earth was 5.6 million miles (9 million kilometers) on Oct. 30. The perspective in the images is analogous to seeing the asteroid from above its north pole. Each of the three images is shown at the same scale.

Bacteria talk to each other and our cells in the same way, via molecules

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Bacteria can talk to each other via molecules they themselves produce. The phenomenon is called quorum sensing, and is important when an infection propagates. Now, researchers are showing how bacteria control processes in human cells the same way.

Rebuilding a whole heart for children born with only half of one

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Using a combination of surgical procedures developed over the last 11 years, surgeons have established a new approach for rebuilding the heart in children born with a severe heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This "staged left ventricle recruitment" strategy uses the existing standard single-ventricle treatment for HLHS and additional procedures to spur the body's capacity for healing and growth and encourage the small left ventricle in these children to grow and function.

Losing protein helps heart recover, say scientists

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Scientists have identified a key target they hope will help stave off the potentially harmful effects of remodeling that often occurs as that heart attempts to regain some of its former function after a heart attack. They have shown that by turning off the activity of a protein, GSK-3±, in the heart cells of mice that have had heart attacks, they can prevent remodeling, preserve function and improve survival.

Targeted cancer drug may stunt heart's ability to repair itself

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Scientists have shown how a "targeted" cancer drug may affect the heart. Studying mice with the equivalent of a heart attack, researchers found that the cancer drug sorafenib – which inhibits tyrosine kinase receptors – can interfere with heart stem cell activity, affecting the heart's ability to repair itself. The findings suggest that sorafenib and similar drugs may raise the risk for heart attack for some cancer patients with heart disease.

Drug trio improved effectiveness of cancer treatment, protected heart

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Combining either sildenafil or rapamycin with cancer medication doxorubicin protected the heart from damage and improved doxorubicin's ability to kill cancer cells. Combining all three -- sildenafil, rapamycin and doxorubicin increased these protective benefits. Researchers believe the combination therapy could potentially improve the life expectancy of cancer patients.

Heart-related deaths increase in winter regardless of climate

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

No matter what climate you live in, you're more likely to die of heart-related issues in the winter. Seasonal patterns of total and cardiac deaths were very similar in seven different locations with seven different climates, according to new research. Maintaining healthy behaviors, such as eating well and exercising, is important in winter, researchers said.

High blood pressure in young adults likely to go undiagnosed

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Most young adults with high blood pressure remain undiagnosed after four years of regular doctor's care. Young adults who actively smoked were less likely to receive a diagnosis. Family practice doctors were less likely to diagnose high blood pressure in young adults than internal medicine providers. Female doctors were more likely to diagnose high blood pressure in this group than other doctors.

Telltale visible signs of aging may predict heart disease

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:42 AM PST

Visible signs of aging may predict your risk of heart disease. A receding hairline, baldness, earlobe crease and yellow fatty deposits on the eyelids were among signs of aging associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Strange diet for methane-consuming microorganisms

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:41 AM PST

Methane is formed under the absence of oxygen by natural biological and physical processes, e.g. in the sea floor. It is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Thanks to the activity of microorganisms, this gas is inactivated before it reaches the atmosphere and unfolds its harmful effects on Earth's climate. Researchers have now demonstrated that these microorganisms are quite picky about their diet.

Star formation slumps to 1/30th of its peak

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:41 AM PST

While parts of the world experience economic hardship, astronomers have found an even bigger slump happening on a cosmic scale. In the largest ever study of its kind, astronomers have established that the rate of formation of new stars in the Universe is now only 1/30th of its peak and that this decline is only set to continue.

Long shifts lead to nurse burnout and dissatisfied patients

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:40 AM PST

Extended work shifts of twelve hours or longer are common and popular among hospital staff nurses, but a new study reports that nurses working longer shifts were more likely to experience burnout, job dissatisfaction, and patients were more dissatisfied with their care.

Children, teens at risk for lasting emotional impact from Hurricane Sandy

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:40 AM PST

The unseen emotional aftershocks of Hurricane Sandy may linger for children who were in the storm's path. A psychologist discusses why children may experience PTSD and how parents and caregivers can help.

New development in relief of spasms related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 07:20 AM PST

Scientists have recently discovered the origin of spasms - a disabling symptom of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The degeneration of serotonin-releasing neurons is responsible for these sensations. In the longer term, researchers imagine that molecules acting on serotonin receptors present in the brain could eliminate spasticity in patients.

New computational method for timing the tree of life

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 07:20 AM PST

A scientist has developed a new method for calculating species divergence, delivering accurate results at 1,000 times the speed of conventional techniques.

New immune pathway discovered

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 07:20 AM PST

Researchers have now discovered an important mechanism behind one of our most fundamental lines of immune function.

Earth on acid: Present & future of global acidification

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:27 AM PST

Climate change and extreme weather events grab the headlines, but there is another, lesser known, global change underway on land, in the seas, and in the air: acidification.

Studies show power of epidemiology research; Underscore need to address health disparities

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:27 AM PST

Heart disease risk factors are widespread among Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States, with 80 percent of men and 71 percent of women having at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to a new study.

2011 Virginia earthquake triggered landslides at extraordinary distances

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:27 AM PST

The 2011 Mineral, Virginia M-5.8 earthquake was felt over an extraordinarily large area. A new study details landslides triggered by the earthquake at distances four times greater and over an area 20 times larger than previously documented for M-5.8 earthquakes worldwide.

Quality products from rubber residues

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:27 AM PST

Rubber residues can be downcycled to floor coverings and safety crashpads, and for the first time, also processed into high-quality plastics. A new kind of material makes it possible: the environmentally-friendly material mix is called EPMT, experts say.

Pressure switch inside the head

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:27 AM PST

An increase in cerebral pressure may cause dementia and could destroy the brain. Researchers have been seeking to find monitoring sensors that can be implanted into the brain, and read from outside the body. A tiny sensor may work.

Exome Sequencing Project has some surprising results

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:52 AM PST

Scientists participating in Exome Sequencing Project expected that individual rare variants would have a greater effect on over 80 heart, lung and blood related traits and diseases. However, they found that many (1.1 million) of the 1.2 million coding variants identified in exome data of 4,420 European-Americans and 2,312 African-Americans occurred very infrequently in the population and often were only observed in a single individual.

New strategy for fingerprint visualization developed

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:49 AM PST

Identifying fingerprints on paper is a commonly used method in police forensic work, but unfortunately it is not easy to make those fingerprints visible. Now, scientists have developed a new approach for making such fingerprints more readily readable.

'Social medicines' do benefit health and wellbeing

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:48 AM PST

'Social medicines' are beneficial to the health and wellbeing of individuals and the population. By combining social and biological information researchers have identified that the more 'social medicines' you have, the better your physical and mental health. These include a stable family life, stress-free childhood, alcohol-free culture for young people, secure and rewarding employment, positive relationships with friends and neighbors, and a socially active old age.

Is your memory playing tricks on you? Common medications may be to blame

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:48 AM PST

Common medication to treat insomnia, anxiety, itching or allergies can have a negative impact on memory or concentration in the elderly, according to new research. Up to ninety percent of people over the age of 65 take at least one prescription medication. Eighteen percent of people in this age group complain of memory problems and are found to have mild cognitive deficits. Research suggests there may be a link between the two.

Less-experienced physicians more costly than more-experienced physicians

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 01:13 PM PST

Physicians with the least experience spend significantly more money treating patients than physicians who have the most experience. The findings could have significant implications for less-experienced physicians, who might be excluded from contracting networks or face lower payments as both private insurers and government programs look to reward health care providers who deliver quality care at a lower cost.

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