ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Priming with DNA vaccine makes avian flu vaccine work better: Proof of concept for universal influenza vaccine
• Pale people may need vitamin D supplements
• Hormonal contraception doubles HIV risk, study suggests
• Referral to talking therapies may cut use of health services and sick leave, UK study finds
• Faulty intellectual disability genes linked to older dads at conception, research finds
• Significant variation in organ donations across all four UK countries
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy predicts outcomes for Merkel cell carcinoma
• Employers less likely to interview openly gay men for job openings in certain parts of U.S.
• Virtual reality worm-tracking challenge leads to new tool for brain research
• Medicare patients at risk of long-term institutionalization after hospital stay
• Tuberculosis bacterium's outer cell wall disarms the body's defense to remain infectious
• Raw sewage: Home to millions of undescribed viruses
• MRI tests can be safe for people with implanted cardiac devices, study suggests
• How the brain makes memories: Rhythmically
• Parental weight strongly influences thinness in children
• Certain therapies appear beneficial in reducing PTSD symptoms in some trauma survivors
• Suspects of child abuse homicide are convicted at rates similar to suspects of adult homicides, study finds
• Higher quality diet associated with reduced risk of some birth defects
• Social media sites may reveal information about problem drinking among college students
• Overall quality of pregnant woman’s diet affects risk for two birth defects, study shows
• Severely impaired schizophrenics enter dynamic cycle of recovery after cognitive therapy
• Community effort brings lasting drop in smoking, delinquency, drug use
• Increased fat in children raises their blood pressure risk
• American Cancer Society report finds burden of breast cancer deaths shifts to poor
• Premature birth may increase risk of epilepsy later in life
• Virtual fly-through bronchoscopy yields real results
• Rebooting the system: Immune cells repair damaged lung tissues after flu infection
• Researchers discover new enzyme function for anemia
• Scientists find mechanism that leads to drug resistance in bacteria causing melioidosis
• Nanoparticles seek and destroy glioblastoma in mice
• Brain study reveals stress code
• Biomarker for Huntington's disease identified
• Evidence found for the genetic basis of autism: Models of autism show that gene copy number controls brain structure and behavior
• Cell transformation from one type of cell to another
• Study gauges emotional toll of direct-to-consumer genetic testing
• $6.7 billion spent on unnecessary tests and treatments in U.S. in one year
• Nursing home hospitalizations often driven by payer status
• Studies on vein blockages and multiple sclerosis reviewed
• Cell movement provides clues to aggressive breast cancer
• Polymeric material has potential for noninvasive procedures
• We discount the pain of people we don't like
• Alzheimer's research: Researchers watch amyloid plaques form
• Cancer patients in their 60s are tech-savvy
• Most cancer physicians reach out to bereaved family, caregivers
• Vitamin D deficiency common in cancer patients
• Residential washers may not kill hospital-acquired bacteria
• Study reports predictors of poor hand hygiene in an emergency department
• Online informed consent tool could boost number of patients in cancer clinical trials
• Higher radiation dose does not help lung cancer patients live longer
• Researchers transform iPhone into high-quality medical imaging device
• Researchers call for more awareness of male breast cancer as cases rise
• Examining motherly fears
• Familiarity increases the fullness that children expect from snack foods
• In reversing motor nerve damage, time is of the essence: 'Wait and see' in injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome may miss a window for recovery
• Race to nerve regeneration: Faster is better
• Study of COX-2 inhibitors could lead to new class of stroke drugs
• Novel mechanism for preventing infection via body's mucosal borders
• Modeling cancer using ecological principles
• Older people are happier in Brazil and South Africa
• Could soccer give homeless men a health kick?

Priming with DNA vaccine makes avian flu vaccine work better: Proof of concept for universal influenza vaccine Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:52 PM PDT The immune response to an H5N1 avian influenza vaccine was greatly enhanced in healthy adults if they were first primed with a DNA vaccine expressing a gene for a key H5N1 protein, researchers say.

Pale people may need vitamin D supplements Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:52 PM PDT Fair-skinned people who burn quickly in the sun may need to take supplements to ensure they get the right amount of vitamin D, new research finds.

Hormonal contraception doubles HIV risk, study suggests Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:52 PM PDT Researchers have found that women using hormonal contraception -- such as a birth control pill or a shot like Depo-Provera -- are at double the risk of acquiring HIV, and HIV-infected women who use hormonal contraception have twice the risk of transmitting the virus to their HIV-uninfected male partners, according to a new study.

Referral to talking therapies may cut use of health services and sick leave, UK study finds Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:52 PM PDT Referring patients with mental health problems to talking therapies seems to cut their use of health-care services and the amount of sick leave they take, suggests research from the UK.

Faulty intellectual disability genes linked to older dads at conception, research finds Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:52 PM PDT Chromosomal abnormalities linked to intellectual disability can be traced back to the father, particularly those who are older when the child is conceived, new research finds.

Significant variation in organ donations across all four UK countries Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:52 PM PDT There are significant variations in the number and type of organ donations made across all four UK countries, new research reveals.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy predicts outcomes for Merkel cell carcinoma Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT Patients with Merkel cell carcinoma who underwent a procedure called sentinel lymph node biopsy had a lower risk of cancer recurrence after two years, according to a new study. When the biopsy's results were used to guide subsequent tests and treatment, these patients had longer survival rates than patients who had not undergone the procedure.

Employers less likely to interview openly gay men for job openings in certain parts of U.S. Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:04 PM PDT A new study suggests that openly gay men face substantial job discrimination in certain parts of the US.

Virtual reality worm-tracking challenge leads to new tool for brain research Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:04 PM PDT Using new optical equipment, researchers put roundworms into a world of virtual reality, monitored both their behavior and brain activity and gained unexpected information on how the organism's brain operates as it moves.

Medicare patients at risk of long-term institutionalization after hospital stay Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:04 PM PDT Confirming many elderly patients' worst fears, a national study has shown that being hospitalized for an acute event, such as a stroke or hip fracture, can lead to long-term institutionalization in a nursing home. Equally alarming, researchers found that direct discharge to a skilled nursing facility -- a common practice designed to reduce hospital stays -- put patients at "extremely high risk" of needing long-term nursing home care.

Tuberculosis bacterium's outer cell wall disarms the body's defense to remain infectious Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:04 PM PDT The bacterium that causes tuberculosis has a unique molecule on its outer cell surface that blocks a key part of the body's defense. New research suggests this represents a novel mechanism in the microbe's evolving efforts to remain hidden from the human immune system. The TB bacterium has a molecule on its outer surface called lipomannan that can stop production of an important protein in the body's immune cells that helps contain TB infection and maintain it in a latent state.

Raw sewage: Home to millions of undescribed viruses Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:04 PM PDT Biologists have described only a few thousand different viruses so far, but a new study reveals a vast world of unseen viral diversity that exists right under our noses. A new article explores ordinary raw sewage and finds that it is home to thousands of novel, undiscovered viruses, some of which could relate to human health.

MRI tests can be safe for people with implanted cardiac devices, study suggests Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:04 PM PDT Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an important diagnostic test, has traditionally been off limits to more than 2 million people in the United States who have an implanted pacemaker to regulate heart rhythms or an implanted defibrillator to prevent sudden cardiac death. Now, cardiologists report that a protocol they developed has proved effective in enabling patients with implanted cardiac devices to safely undergo an MRI scan.

How the brain makes memories: Rhythmically Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:19 PM PDT The brain learns through changes in the strength of synapses -- the connections between neurons -- in response to stimuli. Now, researchers have found there is an optimal brain rhythm, or timing, for changing synaptic strength, and hence learning.

Parental weight strongly influences thinness in children Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:19 PM PDT Children with thinner parents are three times more likely to be thin than children whose parents are overweight, according to a new study.

Certain therapies appear beneficial in reducing PTSD symptoms in some trauma survivors Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:19 PM PDT Prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, and delayed prolonged exposure therapy, appear to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in patients who have experienced a recent traumatic event, according to a new report.

Suspects of child abuse homicide are convicted at rates similar to suspects of adult homicides, study finds Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:17 PM PDT Child abuse homicide offenders appear to be convicted at a rate similar to that of adult homicide offenders in Utah and receive similar levels in severity of sentencing, according to a new report.

Higher quality diet associated with reduced risk of some birth defects Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:17 PM PDT Healthier dietary choices by pregnant women are associated with reduced risks of birth defects, including neural tube defects and orofacial clefts, according to a new study.

Social media sites may reveal information about problem drinking among college students Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:17 PM PDT Social media websites, such as Facebook and MySpace, may reveal information that could identify underage college students who may be at risk for problem drinking, according to a new study.

Overall quality of pregnant woman’s diet affects risk for two birth defects, study shows Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:17 PM PDT The overall quality of a pregnant woman's diet is linked with risk for two types of serious birth defects, a new study has shown. In the study, women who ate better before and during pregnancy gave birth to fewer infants with malformations of the brain and spinal cord, or orofacial clefts, such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Severely impaired schizophrenics enter dynamic cycle of recovery after cognitive therapy Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:17 PM PDT For the first time, researchers have shown that a psychosocial treatment can significantly improve daily functioning and quality of life in the lowest-functioning cases of schizophrenia.

Community effort brings lasting drop in smoking, delinquency, drug use Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:16 PM PDT Delaying the age when kids try alcohol or smoking decreases the likelihood that they will become dependent later in life. A new study of Communities That Care, a new prevention system, shows that tenth graders in towns using they system were less likely to have tried drinking or smoking. Delinquent behavior decreased too.

Increased fat in children raises their blood pressure risk Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:16 PM PDT Overweight or obese children have almost three times the risk of high blood pressure compared to normal weight children. Researchers observed the effects of excess weight on blood pressure in children of all ages.

American Cancer Society report finds burden of breast cancer deaths shifts to poor Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:16 PM PDT A new report finds that a slower and later decline in breast cancer death rates among women in poor areas has resulted in a shift in the highest breast cancer death rates from women residing in affluent areas to those in poor areas.

Premature birth may increase risk of epilepsy later in life Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:16 PM PDT Being born prematurely may increase your risk of developing epilepsy as an adult, according to a new study.

Virtual fly-through bronchoscopy yields real results Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT For patients with non-small cell lung cancer the accurate determination of the lymph node status before therapy is critical to develop an individualized treatment plan. Research from the October issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine highlights a new way for this information to be collected -- a virtual fly-through three-dimensional 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography bronchoscopy that has high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of regional lymph node metastases.

Rebooting the system: Immune cells repair damaged lung tissues after flu infection Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT There's more than one way to mop up after a flu infection. Now, researchers report that a previously unrecognized population of lung immune cells orchestrate the body's repair response following flu infection.

Researchers discover new enzyme function for anemia Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a new function for an enzyme that may protect against organ injury and death from anemia.

Scientists find mechanism that leads to drug resistance in bacteria causing melioidosis Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT Researchers have identified a novel mechanism whereby the organism Burkholderia pseudomallei -- the cause of melioidosis, a neglected tropical infectious disease -- develops resistance to ceftazidime, the standard antibiotic treatment. The change also makes the drug-resistant bacterium difficult to detect.

Nanoparticles seek and destroy glioblastoma in mice Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT Scientists have combined a tumor-homing peptide, a cell-killing peptide, and a nanoparticle. When administered to mice with glioblastoma that could not otherwise be treated, this new nanosystem eradicated most tumors in one model and significantly delayed tumor development in another.

Brain study reveals stress code Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT Neuroscientists investigating the 'brain code' claim to have made a significant step forwards in understanding how the brain deals with stress- and mitigates its impact.

Biomarker for Huntington's disease identified Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT Researchers have identified a transcriptional biomarker that may assist in the monitoring of disease activity and in the evaluation of new medications.

Evidence found for the genetic basis of autism: Models of autism show that gene copy number controls brain structure and behavior Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that one of the most common genetic alterations in autism -- deletion of a 27-gene cluster on chromosome 16 -- causes autism-like features. By generating mouse models of autism using a technique known as chromosome engineering, researchers provide the first functional evidence that inheriting fewer copies of these genes leads to features resembling those used to diagnose children with autism.

Cell transformation from one type of cell to another Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:10 PM PDT Researchers have now described a mechanism by which one cell can be converted into another entirely different one. The research is vital for the future development of cell therapy treatments, a new method for replacing cells damaged by illness, trauma or aging. Transcription factor C/EBP± is responsible for regulating this transformation. The study was carried out on immune system cells.

Study gauges emotional toll of direct-to-consumer genetic testing Posted: 03 Oct 2011 11:47 AM PDT Among the latest health care trends seeking to advance "individualized medicine" are private companies marketing genetic testing directly to patients. The mail-in kits, with price tags as high as $2,500, use a saliva specimen to identify small variations in the human genome associated with heightened risk for diseases such as diabetes and prostate cancer.

$6.7 billion spent on unnecessary tests and treatments in U.S. in one year Posted: 03 Oct 2011 11:47 AM PDT Researchers have found that $6.7 billion was spent in one year performing unnecessary tests or prescribing unnecessary medications in primary care, with 86 percent of that cost attributed to the prescription of brand-name statins to treat high cholesterol.

Nursing home hospitalizations often driven by payer status Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT The decision by nursing homes whether or not to treat an ill resident on-site or send them to a hospital are often linked to that person's insurance status. A new study out this month shows that on average individuals enrolled in Medicaid are 27 percent more likely to be sent to the hospital than individuals with private insurance -- decisions that often result in higher costs of care and poor health outcomes.

Studies on vein blockages and multiple sclerosis reviewed Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT Studies that examined the possible link between vein blockages and multiple sclerosis are so inconsistent that it's impossible to reach a firm conclusion about the controversial theory, a new review has found.

Cell movement provides clues to aggressive breast cancer Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT Researchers have identified a specific molecule that alters how breast cancer cells move. This affects the cells' ability to spread or metastasize to distant parts of the body, the hallmark of deadly, aggressive cancer.

Polymeric material has potential for noninvasive procedures Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT Scientists have developed what they believe to be the first polymeric material that is sensitive to biologically benign levels of near infrared irradiation, enabling the material to disassemble in a highly controlled fashion. The study represents a significant milestone in the area of light-sensitive material for non-invasive medical and biological applications.

We discount the pain of people we don't like Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT If a patient is not likeable, will he or she be taken less seriously when exhibiting or complaining about pain? Researchers have found that observers of patients estimate lower pain intensity and are perceptually less sympathetic to the patients' pain when the patients are not liked.

Alzheimer's research: Researchers watch amyloid plaques form Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT Researchers use optical trapping to take a detailed look at the early minutes of amyloid aggregate formation, a process important in Alzheimer's disease. The technique could be used for new drug design.

Cancer patients in their 60s are tech-savvy Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:24 AM PDT When cancer patients are given the choice, they are significantly more likely to use Web-based technology to answer questions about their quality of life six months after treatment, compared to a paper survey, according to a unique study.

Most cancer physicians reach out to bereaved family, caregivers Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT While the majority of surveyed cancer care physicians initiate contact with the bereaved family and caregivers of their patients who have died, over two-thirds do not feel they have received adequate training in this area during their residency or fellowship, according to a new study.

Vitamin D deficiency common in cancer patients Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer, according to a new study.

Residential washers may not kill hospital-acquired bacteria Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT Residential washing machines may not always use hot enough water to eliminate dangerous bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter, a Gram-negative bacteria, from hospital uniforms, according to a new study.

Study reports predictors of poor hand hygiene in an emergency department Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT Researchers studying hand hygiene of health-care workers in the emergency department found certain care situations, including bed location and type of health-care worker performing care, resulted in poorer hand hygiene practice.

Online informed consent tool could boost number of patients in cancer clinical trials Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT A new multimedia informed consent tool accessed via the Internet may make it easier for cancer patients to understand and feel comfortable enrolling in clinical trials. The research group points to the tool as a potential way to buoy the low percentage of adult cancer patients who participate in clinical trials, which hovers between 2 and 4 percent nationwide.

Higher radiation dose does not help lung cancer patients live longer Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT A higher dose of radiation (74 Gy) does not improve overall survival for non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, compared to the standard radiation dose (60 Gy), according to an interim analysis of a new randomized study.

Researchers transform iPhone into high-quality medical imaging device Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT In a feat of technology tweaking that would rival MacGyver, a team of researchers has transformed everyday iPhones into medical-quality imaging and chemical detection devices. With materials that cost about as much as a typical app, the decked-out smartphones are able to use their heightened senses to perform detailed microscopy and spectroscopy.

Researchers call for more awareness of male breast cancer as cases rise Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT Awareness of male breast cancer is low and most men do not even know they are at risk despite an increase in cases, reveals new research.

Examining motherly fears Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT Neighborhood poverty is likely to make a mother more fearful about letting her children play outdoors, according to a new study.

Familiarity increases the fullness that children expect from snack foods Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:14 AM PDT Psychologists have found that children who are familiar with a snack food will expect it to be more filling. This finding is important because it reveals one way in which children over-consume snack foods and increase their risk of becoming overweight.

In reversing motor nerve damage, time is of the essence: 'Wait and see' in injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome may miss a window for recovery Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:14 AM PDT When a motor nerve is severely damaged, people rarely recover full muscle strength and function. Combining patient data with observations in a mouse model, neuroscientists now show why. It's not that motor nerve fibers don't regrow -- they can -- but they don't grow fast enough. By the time they get to the muscle fibers, they can no longer communicate with them.

Race to nerve regeneration: Faster is better Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have now identified a way to accelerate the regeneration of injured peripheral nerves in mice such that muscle function is restored in situations where it normally would not be. It is hoped that these data might one day translate into strategies that increase the rate of nerve growth to enhance functional recovery in patients after peripheral nerve damage.

Study of COX-2 inhibitors could lead to new class of stroke drugs Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:14 AM PDT A new study in mice points toward potential new therapies for stroke, a leading cause of death and foremost single cause of severe neurological disability. The study also may reveal why a much-heralded class of blockbuster drugs failed to live up to their promise.

Novel mechanism for preventing infection via body's mucosal borders Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:44 AM PDT Researchers have identified a previously unknown mechanism that generates protective immune memory cells to fight recurring infections at the body's mucosal linings -- which include the mouth, the intestines, the lungs and other areas. These are the main entry points for many viruses and other infectious organisms.

Modeling cancer using ecological principles Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:05 AM PDT The invasion of a new species into an established ecosystem can be directly compared to the steps involved in cancer metastasis. New research uses the Tilman model of competition between invasive species to study the metastasis of prostate cells into bone.

Older people are happier in Brazil and South Africa Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:05 AM PDT Contrary to belief, older people in South Africa and Brazil become happier as they age. New research suggests that, with the right policies in place, a developing country can significantly improve the well-being of its older citizens.

Could soccer give homeless men a health kick? Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:05 AM PDT Playing street football (soccer) two or three times a week could halve the risk of early death in homeless men. Researchers have shown the positive impact of street football on the fitness of homeless people, a group with typically poor health and low life expectancy.

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