http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/diseases_and_conditions/ Read the latest research on diseases and conditions, symptoms, new treatment options and more. Updated daily. en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/diseases_and_conditions/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720221517.htm A chemist has discovered a new marker together with three associated monoclonal antibodies which are promising candidates for cancer therapy. Up to now, monoclonal antibodies have only aided the chemotherapeutic fight against cancer to a limited extent. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720221517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723201244.htm Newly developed software will help to allay patients' fears about who has access to their confidential data. A new computer program is capable of deleting details from medical records which may identify patients, while leaving important medical information intact. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723201244.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123241.htm Researchers have taken a first snapshot of how a class of highly reactive molecules inflicts cellular damage as part of aging, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and Alzheimer's disease to name a few. Researchers have discovered a tool that can monitor related damage and determine the degree to which antioxidant drugs effectively combat disease. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123241.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723171844.htm Kidneys donated after individuals die from cardiovascular causes may be one of the best options for black patients in need of transplants, according to a new study. The research reveals that utilization of these organs should be expanded in order to reduce racial disparities that exist in renal transplantation. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723171844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723201238.htm The comfortably off, white, and middle-aged are the most likely to participate in sporting activities, reveals a 10 year study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723201238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724150437.htm Adult stem cells originate in a different part of the brain than is commonly believed, and with proper stimulation they can produce new brain cells to replace those lost to disease or injury, a new study has shown. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724150437.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721102400.htm New data from a study of patients with treatment-resistant depression who underwent deep brain stimulation in the subcallosal cingulate region of the brain shows that this intervention is generally safe and provides significant improvement in patients as early as one month after treatment. The patients also experienced continued and sustained improvement over time. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721102400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192350.htm Coronary heart disease is associated with a worse performance in mental processes such as reasoning, vocabulary and verbal fluency, according to a study of 5,837 middle-aged Whitehall civil servants published in the European Heart Journal. The study also found that the longer ago the heart disease had been diagnosed, the worse was the person's cognitive performance and this effect was particularly marked in men. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724175857.htm A new study could explain why the cold and flu virus symptoms that are often mild and transient in non-smokers can seriously sicken smokers. The study also identified the mechanism by which viruses and cigarette smoke interact to increase lung inflammation and damage. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724175857.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724175859.htm The chromosomal abnormality that causes a rare, but often fatal, disorder that affects infants has been identified by researchers who happened to treat two young children with the disease in San Diego -- two of perhaps a dozen children in the entire country diagnosed with the disorder. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724175859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123220.htm Genetic evolution is strongly shaped by genes' efforts to prevent or tolerate errors in protein production. Previously unexplained patterns of evolution may aim to prevent or tolerate mistranslation. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123220.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724150438.htm Over the last decade, energy drinks -- such as Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar -- have become nearly ubiquitous on college campuses. Now new research validates and expands upon existing concerns about energy drink consumption. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724150438.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123255.htm Along with all the other changes that come with age, healthy older people also lose some capacity for sleep. When asked to stay in bed for 16 hours in the dark each day for several days, younger people get an average of 9 hours of shuteye compared to 7.5 for older people, the researchers report. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123255.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723185947.htm Just as square dance partners join hands at a particular point in the music, so broken pieces of DNA in our cells reunite as they are repaired. Precisely and quickly, these DNA pieces identify each other and tether together. A tumor-suppressor gene called ATM choreographs this fast-paced, but reliable, reassembly operation. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723185947.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123246.htm Two new research studies have discovered a long sought molecular link between our metabolism and components of the internal clock that drives circadian rhythms, keeping us to a roughly 24-hour schedule. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123246.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723171837.htm Researchers have found that sorafenib (Nexavar) helps patients with advanced liver cancer live about 44 percent longer compared with patients who did not receive the anti-cancer drug. The findings are a significant advance in the management of liver cancer, which is the third cause of cancer death globally, often resulting in death within a year of diagnosis. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723171837.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723192009.htm Rigid parenting appears to be linked to increased sexual activity in older teens. More than two of every three American teens has sexual intercourse before age 19. Although it is difficult to confirm that controlling mothers and fathers cause kids to have more sex, the findings suggest it is wise to give children freedom. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723192009.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123234.htm Age may not be rust after all. Specific genetic instructions drive aging in worms. This discovery contradicts the prevailing theory that aging is a buildup of tissue damage akin to rust, and implies science might eventually halt or even reverse the ravages of age. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123207.htm Researchers have found a molecular link between circadian rhythms -- our own body clock -- and metabolism. The discovery reveals new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes, obesity and other related diseases. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724123207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192348.htm New research should provide relief to women who are worried after a relative's breast cancer diagnosis. A new study shows that a family history of breast cancer does not give a useful indication of the likelihood that a woman will develop it herself at an early age. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723190514.htm Sports-related concussions in young athletes frequently go unrecognized, and often do not receive proper respect for the potential seriousness that even a mild injury may have, according to a pediatric sports medicine specialist. With more high-profile athletes describing their postconcussive symptoms, awareness is at an all-time high. An explosion in research about concussions in the past five years has increased understanding of how serious concussions may be. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723190514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723171841.htm For patients receiving kidney transplants, treatment with cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs may lead to longer survival, reports a new study. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723171841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722091630.htm New research found that when nuclear medicine clinicians and treating physicians work together to interpret PET-CT scan results, the accuracy dramatically improves, sparing patients unnecessary pain and suffering. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722091630.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723151316.htm Scientists have developed a technique to measure the formation of clumps of proteins in protein-based pharmaceuticals, a major concern because of its impact on quality control and safety in biologic drug manufacturing. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723151316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724095738.htm People are powerfully but subconsciously influenced by the weight of those around them. Without being aware of it, researchers believe, human beings keep up with the weight of the Joneses. For a whole society, this can lead to a spiral of imitative obesity. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724095738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724095732.htm Opthalmologists have now, for the first time, demonstrated that in cases of senile blindness the patient's immune resistance is hyperactive throughout his entire body. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724095732.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722162116.htm The relative yield of finding and treating latent tuberculosis is particularly high among higher-risk groups of foreign-born persons living in the US, such as individuals from most countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722162116.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725142400.htm HIV patients taking a cocktail of drugs called combination antiretroviral therapy have seen a 13-year boost in life expectancy, according to a new study. Improved survival has led to a nearly 40 percent drop in AIDS deaths among 43,355 HIV-positive study participants in Europe and North America, bolstering the call for improved anti-HIV efforts worldwide, the study authors said. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725142400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725142358.htm For the first time, a strategic plan for research into benign prostate disease, based on the latest scientific knowledge, has been published by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK Prostate Research Strategic Plan is the culmination of discussions and meetings among experts over the past two years in an effort to outline a strategic vision for research. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725142358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725122633.htm Although the need to translate basic science discoveries into the clinical arena is widely acknowledged, a new study has identified reasons why clinical science grant applications receive less positive peer reviews than basic science grant applications to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725122633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725114550.htm Using antimicrobial sutures to secure the shunt and close the wound significantly reduces the number of shunt infections arising during the first six months after surgery. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725114550.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725105453.htm Individuals affected by celiac disease (gluten intolerance) often present an altered calcium (Ca2+) metabolism that can cause osteopenia, a bone mass decrease due to the impaired adsorption of this mineral, which can lead to osteoporosis (in 35-85% of the cases). A new study showed that if the celiac child strictly follows a gluten-free diet, all the metabolic and mineralization alterations of the bone normalize within 6-12 months. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725105453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725105433.htm The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy has issued guidelines on the role of endoscopy in the bariatric surgery patient. The guidelines discuss endoscopy in the preoperative patient and the postoperative patient. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725105433.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725105431.htm The extra Medicare cost associated with overweight elderly people could place a significant burden on taxpayers. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725105431.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725093500.htm Potatoes that have turned ‘green’ can potentially contain a naturally occurring toxin called Glycoalkaloids (GA) and pose a risk to public health. However, the good news is that cutting away the ‘green’ affected area is enough to eliminate most of the GAs to reduce the risk. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725093500.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725075039.htm Researchers have disproved a long-standing clinical belief that the hepatitis C virus slows or stunts the immune system's ability to restore itself after HIV patients are treated with a combination of drugs known as the "cocktail." Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080725075039.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724190432.htm The tooth-protecting sugar substitute xylitol has been incorporated into gummy bears to produce a sweet snack that may prevent dental problems. Giving children four of the xylitol bears three times a day during school hours results in a decrease in the plaque bacteria that cause tooth decay. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724190432.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721110309.htm Researchers from four leading cancer centers have confirmed that an analysis involving a panel of genes can be used to predict which lung cancer patients will have the worst survival. The finding could one day lead to a test that would help determine who needs more aggressive treatment. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721110309.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721173746.htm The greatest danger in a pandemic flu outbreak is that it could spread quickly and devastate a broad swath of people across the United States before there is much of a chance to react. Now, researchers have taken a major step in determining what nonpharmaceutical interventions will work by developing mathematical models and testing scenarios that show which NPIs are appropriate for which levels of pandemic flu. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721173746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723103259.htm Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body. This is a finding from a first-of-its-kind study examines whether fat tissues from different areas of the body vary in stem cell concentration. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723103259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722225346.htm Persons infected with schistosomes, and possibly other parasitic worm infections, may be more likely to become infected with HIV than persons without worm infections, according to a new study. Researchers found that the infectious dose of an HIV-like virus necessary to infect rhesus macaques was 17-fold lower in animals with acute schistosomiasis than in controls. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722225346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722091634.htm For patients with head and neck cancer, accurately determining how advanced the cancer is and detecting secondary cancers usually means undergoing numerous tests - until now. New research has found that the PET-CT scanner can be used as a stand-alone tool to detect secondary cancers, which occur in 5 to 10 percent of head and neck cancer patients. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722091634.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192326.htm We are continuously bombarded with messages about the dangers of too much sun and the increased risk of melanoma, but are these dangers real, or is staying out of the sun causing us more harm than good? Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718085117.htm Viruses achieve their definition of success when they can thrive without killing their host. Now, biologists have uncovered how one such virus, prevalent in humans, evolved over time to hide from the immune system. Understanding how human cytomegalovirus survives may help in the development of a vaccine, as well as in the fight against other viruses with similar evasive tactics. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718085117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722094227.htm Blue light commonly used by dentists to cure resin fillings and hydrogen peroxide combined may be capable of reaching and treating bacteria in deep layers of biofilms that can cause cavities and gingivitis. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722094227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722162106.htm If an influenza pandemic hits the United States, acute care hospitals are likely to be overwhelmed. Nursing homes may then be expected to assist with the patient overflow, but a new study suggests that many are not prepared for such a task. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722162106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723094841.htm A report by scientists from the Netherlands identifies a compound in human saliva that greatly speeds wound healing. This research may offer hope to people suffering from chronic wounds related to diabetes and other disorders, as well as traumatic injuries and burns. In addition, because the compounds can be mass produced, they have the potential to become as common as antibiotic creams and rubbing alcohol. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723094841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722072032.htm The simple application of a pain-relieving gel may reduce the breast discomfort some women experience during mammography exams. For a mammography exam, a radiologic technologist positions the patient's breast on a platform in a mammography unit. The breast is then gradually compressed with a paddle. The patient may feel pressure and occasionally some discomfort or pain. Fear of this discomfort leads many women to avoid mammograms altogether. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722072032.htm