ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Scientists use prosthetic device to restore and improve impaired decision-making ability in animals
• Neural implant recovers ability to make decisions, monkey study shows
• How deadly Marburg virus silences immune system: Breakthrough findings point to targets for drugs and vaccines
• Looking at you: Face genes identified; Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes
• No evidence that black cohosh relieves menopause symptoms
• Keeping mom and baby together after delivery beneficial
• Kidney Society describes ways to eliminate wasteful tests and procedures
• 'Mini' stroke can cause major disability, may warrant clot-busters
• Doctors who perform abortions are compelled by conscience, just like those who refuse
• Kids with food allergies can fall through the cracks
• How early social deprivation impairs long-term cognitive function
• Chemists develop nose-like array to 'smell' cancer
• Daily disinfection of isolation rooms reduces contamination of healthcare workers' hands
• Exercise may protect against future emotional stress, study shows
• Mutation breaks HIV's resistance to drugs
• Scientists use sound waves to levitate liquids, improve pharmaceuticals
• Laser-powered 'needle' promises pain-free injections
• Lack of oxygen in cancer cells leads to growth and metastasis
• Parental divorce linked to stroke in males
• Immune system compensates for 'leaky gut' in inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility
• Geneticists verify cholesterol-cancer link
• Missing pieces of DNA structure is a red flag for deadly skin cancer
• Scientists map the genomic blueprint of the heart
• Natural killer T-cells in fat tissue guard against obesity, study finds
• Fruit flies reveal new evolutionary link for studying human health: How they control body temperature through circadian rhythm
• Two studies could lead to new personalized therapies for lung cancer patients
• Cloned receptor paves way for new breast and prostate cancer treatment
• Under-twisted DNA origami delivers cancer drugs to tumors
• 'Siloed' agencies hindered in efforts to fight animal-to-human diseases, analysis finds
• Tracking stem cell reprogramming: Biologists reveal genes key to development of pluripotency, in single cells
• In lung cancer, smokers have 10 times more genetic damage than never-smokers
• Neural stem cells regenerate axons in severe spinal cord injury; functional recovery in rats
• Study explains decrease in insulin-producing beta cells in diabetes
• Cell death mystery yields new suspect for cancer drug development
• Analysis estimates effective PrEP dosing
• Increased dietary fructose linked to elevated uric acid levels and lower liver energy stores
• Good health helps grades when students hit puberty
• Rising cost of inpatient care linked to medical devices and supplies
• Diagnostic confidence key for prompt treatment for women with heart symptoms
• Parents prefer some, often less-effective birth control methods for teens
• Fruit and vegetable advertising linked to more consumption
• When prompted, fathers will talk with their kids about delaying sexual activity
• Even with personalized assessments, many underestimate disease risks
• Chemist develops new synthesis of most useful, yet expensive, antimalarial drug
• Poorest of the poor miss out on benefits, have more hardship
• Guidelines help family physicians evaluate, manage urinary incontinence for women
• Researchers find novel predictor for MDS progression risk
• People who read food labels stay thinner, study finds
• Shine and Rise: Light-activated reversal of anesthesia
• Low ghrelin: Reducing appetite at the cost of increased stress?
• Mild increases in thyroid-stimulating hormone not harmful in the elderly
• Gestational exposure to urban air pollution linked to vitamin D deficiency in newborns

Scientists use prosthetic device to restore and improve impaired decision-making ability in animals Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:39 PM PDT Imagine a prosthetic device capable of restoring decision-making in people who have reduced capacity due to brain disease or injury. While this may sound like science fiction, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have proven for the first time that it is possible in non-human primates, and believe that one day it will be possible in people.

Neural implant recovers ability to make decisions, monkey study shows Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:36 PM PDT Researchers have taken a key step towards recovering specific brain functions in sufferers of brain disease and injuries by successfully restoring the decision-making processes in monkeys. By placing a neural device onto the front part of the monkeys' brains, the researchers were able to recover, and even improve, the monkeys' ability to make decisions when their normal cognitive functioning was disrupted.

How deadly Marburg virus silences immune system: Breakthrough findings point to targets for drugs and vaccines Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:33 PM PDT Scientists have determined the structure of a critical protein from the Marburg virus, a close cousin of Ebola virus. These viruses cause similar diseases and are some of the deadliest pathogens on the planet, each killing up to 90 percent of those infected.

Looking at you: Face genes identified; Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:33 PM PDT Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes, researchers report.

No evidence that black cohosh relieves menopause symptoms Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT Although many women coping with hot flashes and other distressing symptoms of menopause have turned to black cohosh supplements as a treatment alternative, a new review finds no evidence that the herb is effective.

Keeping mom and baby together after delivery beneficial Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT "Rooming in," keeping mother and her newborn in the same room 24/7 to encourage breastfeeding, does support the practice, at least in the short term, finds a new review in The Cochrane Library.

Kidney Society describes ways to eliminate wasteful tests and procedures Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT Earlier this year, the American Society of Nephrology joined other groups in a campaign to help health care professionals and patients avoid wasteful and sometimes harmful medical interventions. A new article outlines the ASN's top five recommendations for the campaign and the rationale behind them. Following these recommendations would lower costs and lead to better care for patients with kidney disease.

'Mini' stroke can cause major disability, may warrant clot-busters Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:24 PM PDT A transient ischemic attack, TIA or a "mini stroke," can lead to serious disability, but is frequently deemed by doctors too mild to treat, according to a new study.

Doctors who perform abortions are compelled by conscience, just like those who refuse Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:24 PM PDT Exercising conscience in healthcare is usually defined as refusing to provide contested services, like abortion. But in an article to be published Sept. 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine, a University of Michigan faculty member says doctors can be "conscientious" providers of abortion.

Kids with food allergies can fall through the cracks Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT More can be done to properly manage the care of American children with food allergies, especially when it comes to diagnostic testing and recognizing non-visual symptoms of severe allergic reactions, according to a new study.

How early social deprivation impairs long-term cognitive function Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT Children who suffer severe neglect have cognitive impairments as adults. A new study shows for the first time how functional impairments arise: Social isolation during early life prevents brain's white matter cells from maturing and producing myelin, the fatty "insulation" on nerve fibers, for transmitting long-distance messages in the brain. The study also identifies a molecular pathway involved, showing it is disrupted by social isolation.

Chemists develop nose-like array to 'smell' cancer Posted: 13 Sep 2012 10:23 AM PDT In the fight against cancer, knowing the enemy's identity is crucial for diagnosis and treatment, especially in metastatic cancers that spread between organs and tissues. Now chemists have developed a rapid, sensitive way to detect microscopic levels of many metastatic cell types in living tissue.

Daily disinfection of isolation rooms reduces contamination of healthcare workers' hands Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT New research demonstrates that daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces in isolation rooms of patients with Clostridium difficile or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus significantly reduces the rate of the pathogens on the hands of healthcare personnel. The findings underscore the importance of environmental cleaning for reducing the spread of difficult to treat infections.

Exercise may protect against future emotional stress, study shows Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT Moderate exercise may help people cope with anxiety and stress for an extended period of time post-workout, according to a study by kinesiology researchers.

Mutation breaks HIV's resistance to drugs Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can contain dozens of different mutations, called polymorphisms. In a recent study an international team of researchers found that one of those mutations, called 172K, made certain forms of the virus more susceptible to treatment. Soon, doctors will be able to use this knowledge to improve the drug regiment they prescribe to HIV-infected individuals.

Scientists use sound waves to levitate liquids, improve pharmaceuticals Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT Scientists have been using an "acoustic levitator" to find new ways to achieve containerless drug processing.

Laser-powered 'needle' promises pain-free injections Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT From flu shots to immunizations, needle injections are among the least popular staples of medical care. A new laser-based system that blasts microscopic jets of drugs into the skin could soon make getting a shot as painless as being hit with a puff of air. The system uses a laser to propel a tiny, precise stream of medicine with just the right amount of force.

Lack of oxygen in cancer cells leads to growth and metastasis Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT The proteins HIF-1a and CD24 have both been implicated in the aggressive characteristics of hypoxic cancers. A new study shows that HIF-1a drives CD24 overexpression, and that CD24 then drives aggressive tumor features.

Parental divorce linked to stroke in males Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT Men with divorced parents are significantly more likely to suffer a stroke than men from intact families, shows a new study. The study shows that adult men who had experienced parental divorce before they turned 18 are three times more likely to suffer a stroke than men whose parents did not divorce. Women from divorced families did not have a higher risk of stroke than women from intact families.

Immune system compensates for 'leaky gut' in inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT New research could clarify how inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), conditions that include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are triggered and develop. Scientists have shown how the immune system can compensate for a 'leaky gut' and prevent disease in mice that are susceptible to intestinal inflammation. These findings could explain why some individuals who are susceptible to developing IBD do or do not get the disease.

Geneticists verify cholesterol-cancer link Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Scientists have discovered new genetic evidence linking cholesterol and cancer, raising the possibility that cholesterol medications could be useful in the future for cancer prevention or to augment existing cancer treatment. The data support several recent population-based studies that suggest individuals who take cholesterol-lowering drugs may have a reduced risk of cancer, and, conversely that individuals with the highest levels of cholesterol seem to have an elevated risk of cancer.

Missing pieces of DNA structure is a red flag for deadly skin cancer Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new biomarker for melanoma. The findings offer novel opportunities for skin cancer diagnostics, treatment and prevention.

Scientists map the genomic blueprint of the heart Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Scientists have revealed the precise order and timing of hundreds of genetic "switches" required to construct a fully functional heart from embryonic heart cells -- providing new clues into the genetic basis for some forms of congenital heart disease.

Natural killer T-cells in fat tissue guard against obesity, study finds Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Invariant natural killer T-cells (iNKT) are a unique subset of immune cells that are known to influence inflammatory responses. Now, a scientific team has found that iNKT cells play a protective role in guarding against obesity and the metabolic syndrome.

Fruit flies reveal new evolutionary link for studying human health: How they control body temperature through circadian rhythm Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT New research reveals that fruit flies and mammals may share a surprising evolutionary link in how they control body temperature through circadian rhythm, unlocking new ways to study the insects as models of human development and disease. The study reports that similar to people, Drosophila fruit flies have a genetically driven internal clock. This circadian clock prompts the insects to seek out warmer or cooler external temperatures.

Two studies could lead to new personalized therapies for lung cancer patients Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Lung cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and is associated with very low survival rates. Two new genome-sequencing studies have uncovered novel genes involved in the deadly disease, as well as striking differences in mutations found in patients with and without a history of smoking. The findings could pave the way for personalized therapies that boost survival rates.

Cloned receptor paves way for new breast and prostate cancer treatment Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT Researchers have cloned a T-cell receptor that binds to an antigen associated with prostate cancer and breast cancer. T cells that have been genetically equipped with this T-cell receptor have the ability to specifically kill prostate and breast cancer cells.

Under-twisted DNA origami delivers cancer drugs to tumors Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT Scientists in Sweden describe in a new study how so-called DNA origami can enhance the effect of certain cytostatics used in the treatment of cancer. With the aid of modern nanotechnology, scientists can target drugs direct to the tumor while leaving surrounding healthy tissue untouched.

'Siloed' agencies hindered in efforts to fight animal-to-human diseases, analysis finds Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT The "siloed" structure of U.S. health agencies is hindering efforts to spot and combat animal-to-human afflictions, such as West Nile Virus, New York University sociologist Colin Jerolmack has concluded after conducting an organizational analysis of their operations.

Tracking stem cell reprogramming: Biologists reveal genes key to development of pluripotency, in single cells Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT Several years ago, biologists discovered that regular body cells can be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells -- cells with the ability to become any other type of cell. Such cells hold great promise for treating many human diseases. These induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are usually created by genetically modifying cells to overexpress four genes that make them revert to an immature, embryonic state. However, the procedure works in only a small percentage of cells. Now, new genetic markers identified by researchers at MIT and the Whitehead Institute could help make that process more efficient, allowing scientists to predict which treated cells will successfully become pluripotent.

In lung cancer, smokers have 10 times more genetic damage than never-smokers Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT Lung cancer patients with a history of smoking have 10 times more genetic mutations in their tumors than those with the disease who have never smoked, according to a new study.

Neural stem cells regenerate axons in severe spinal cord injury; functional recovery in rats Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT A a new study, researchers were able to regenerate "an astonishing degree" of axonal growth at the site of severe spinal cord injury in rats. Their research revealed that early stage neurons have the ability to survive and extend axons to form new, functional neuronal relays across an injury site in the adult central nervous system (CNS).

Study explains decrease in insulin-producing beta cells in diabetes Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT Scientists generally think that reduced insulin production by the pancreas, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, is due to the death of the organ's beta cells. However, a new study shows that beta cells do not die but instead revert to a more fundamental, undifferentiated cell type. The findings suggest that strategies to prevent beta cells from de-differentiating, or to coax them to re-differentiate, might improve glucose balance in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Cell death mystery yields new suspect for cancer drug development Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:50 AM PDT A mysterious form of cell death, coded in proteins and enzymes, led to a discovery by researchers uncovering a prime suspect for new cancer drug development.

Analysis estimates effective PrEP dosing Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:50 AM PDT Several large clinical trials have demonstrated that a daily oral dose of one or two antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV infection can prevent infection in an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. The level of protection, however, depends on taking the drugs regularly.

Increased dietary fructose linked to elevated uric acid levels and lower liver energy stores Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:41 AM PDT Obese patients with type 2 diabetes who consume higher amounts of fructose display reduced levels of liver adenosine triphosphate (ATP) -- a compound involved in the energy transfer between cells. The findings indicate that elevated uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) are associated with more severe hepatic ATP depletion in response to fructose intake.

Good health helps grades when students hit puberty Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT Good health helps children with stressful transitions from elementary school to middle school, finds a new study.

Rising cost of inpatient care linked to medical devices and supplies Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT Inpatient hospital treatment accounts for the largest proportion of health care spending in the U.S., with the use of diagnostic imaging services such as MRIs, frequently implicated as the probable cause. A new analysis finds that the biggest expense may not be imaging technology but from supplies including medical devices, such as stents and artificial joints.

Diagnostic confidence key for prompt treatment for women with heart symptoms Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT Doctors who believe that women have "atypical" coronary heart disease symptoms are less certain when diagnosing heart disease in women. As a result, women are less likely than men to receive treatments for an urgent cardiac event, finds a new study.

Parents prefer some, often less-effective birth control methods for teens Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT Parents of teen girls are more ready to accept their daughters being offered birth control pills and condoms during doctor visits than other, more effective and long-acting contraceptive methods, according to a new study.

Fruit and vegetable advertising linked to more consumption Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT The key to getting people to eat more fruits and vegetables may be advertising, finds a new study.

When prompted, fathers will talk with their kids about delaying sexual activity Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT Although mothers are usually the ones who have "the birds and the bees" talks with their children, with targeted prompting and guidance, fathers will also step up to the plate, finds a new study.

Even with personalized assessments, many underestimate disease risks Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT People with a family history of certain diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, often underestimate their risk for developing them, even after completing a risk assessment and receiving personalized prevention messages, finds a new study.

Chemist develops new synthesis of most useful, yet expensive, antimalarial drug Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT In 2010 malaria caused an estimated 665,000 deaths, mostly among African children. Now, chemists have developed a new synthesis for the world's most useful antimalarial drug, artemisinin, giving hope that fully synthetic artemisinin might help reduce the cost of the live-saving drug in the future.

Poorest of the poor miss out on benefits, have more hardship Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:40 AM PDT Although the federal government's 1996 reform of welfare brought some improvements for the nation's poor, it also may have made extremely poor Americans worse off, new research shows. Welfare has become more difficult to obtain for families at the very bottom, who often have multiple barriers to work. As a result the deeply poor are doing worse.

Guidelines help family physicians evaluate, manage urinary incontinence for women Posted: 13 Sep 2012 06:19 AM PDT Simple interventions at a primary care visit can alleviate the embarrassment and quality-of-life issues caused by urinary leakage.

Researchers find novel predictor for MDS progression risk Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:49 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that changes in the physical characteristics of the effector memory regulatory T cell can predict the progression risk of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) to acute myeloid leukemia. The finding could improve prognostication for patients with MDS and better inform therapeutic decision making.

People who read food labels stay thinner, study finds Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:48 AM PDT An international team of scientists has found that reading the labels on food products is linked to obesity prevention, especially in women. According to the study which used data from the U.S., female consumers who consult food labels weigh nearly 4 kilograms less.

Shine and Rise: Light-activated reversal of anesthesia Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:46 AM PDT In a new study, a light-sensitive moiety has been added to propofol, a commonly used anesthetic, allowing its narcotic effect to be controlled by light. The compound also offers a possible route to the treatment of certain eye diseases.

Low ghrelin: Reducing appetite at the cost of increased stress? Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:46 AM PDT Ghrelin is a hormone released by the lining of the stomach that promotes feeding behavior. Decreasing ghrelin levels could potentially help combat obesity -- in fact, a vaccine that lowers ghrelin levels in order to reduce appetite is being studied as a treatment for obesity. However, many people eat as a way to relieve stress. If low ghrelin levels increase stress, its effectiveness as a treatment for obesity may be reduced. In a new study, researchers show that mice with no ghrelin are more anxious after stress, but that administration of endogenous ghrelin prevents the over-anxious response.

Mild increases in thyroid-stimulating hormone not harmful in the elderly Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:39 AM PDT There is no evidence to link mildly elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels to an increase in mortality among the elderly, according to a recent study. The findings suggest that reflexively treating mild elevations of TSH in those of advanced age is unnecessary.

Gestational exposure to urban air pollution linked to vitamin D deficiency in newborns Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:39 AM PDT Gestational exposure to ambient urban air pollution, especially during late pregnancy, may contribute to lower vitamin D levels in offspring, according to a recent study.

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