الخميس، 16 يناير 2014

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


Coevolution between humans, bacteria reduces gastric cancer risk, research suggests

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 11:37 AM PST

Researchers studied two Colombian villages and discovered that the risk of gastric cancer (caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria) depends on both the ancestry of the person and the ancestry of the microbe they carry. All villagers had similar rates of H. pylori infection, but gastric cancer occurred 25 times more often in the mountain village; coevoluton between humans and bacteria had reduced gastric cancer rates in the coastal villagers.

'Barcode' profiling enables analysis of hundreds of tumor marker proteins at once

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 11:37 AM PST

A new technology allows simultaneous analysis of hundreds of cancer-related protein markers from miniscule patient samples gathered through minimally invasive methods.

Heart attack damage slashed with microparticle therapy

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 11:37 AM PST

After a heart attack, much of the damage to the heart muscle is caused by inflammatory cells that rush to the scene. But that damage is slashed in half when microparticles are injected into the bloodstream within 24 hours of the attack, reports new research. The heart lesion was reduced by 50 percent and the heart could pump significantly more blood as a result of the microparticles. The new therapy has the potential to transform the way heart attacks are treated.

Monitoring inactive hepatitis B patients is cost-effective strategy

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 11:36 AM PST

A novel study determined that monitoring inactive chronic hepatitis B (HBV) carriers is a cost-effective strategy for China. However, results show that increasing treatment, monitoring and adherence to therapy are necessary to achieve significant health benefits at the population level.

Fast food not the major cause of rising childhood obesity rates, study finds

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 10:27 AM PST

For several years, many have been quick to attribute rising fast-food consumption as the major factor causing rapid increases in childhood obesity. Now researchers report that fast-food consumption is simply a byproduct of a much bigger problem: poor all-day-long dietary habits that originate in children's homes.

New strategy emerges for fighting drug-resistant malaria

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 09:22 AM PST

Malaria is one of the most deadly infectious diseases in the world today, claiming the lives of over half a million people every year, and the recent emergence of parasites resistant to current treatments threatens to undermine efforts to control the disease. Researchers are now onto a new strategy to defeat drug-resistant strains of the parasite.

Take a stand, be active to reduce chronic disease, make aging easier, research finds

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST

By sitting less and moving more, people can reduce their risks of chronic diseases and make aging easier, according to research.

Potential treatment for better heart health in hemodialysis patients

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST

Researchers have discovered a potential way to improve the lipid profiles in patients undergoing hemodialysis that may prevent cardiovascular disease common in these patients. Patients undergoing hemodialysis for kidney failure are at a greater risk for atherosclerosis, a common disease in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems including heart attack, stroke or even death.

Parental leave policies best promote gender equity, well-being in women's health

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST

Government policies that allow both parents to take time off after a child is born provide positive benefits for the physical and mental health of women, according to a literature review that looked at the influence of public policies on women's overall health.

Discovery of an early predictor of increased diabetes risk

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST

A research team has discovered that a protein found in muscle tissue may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes later in life. The study's results indicate that the protein could be a promising early predictor of increased diabetes risk.

Patients with spinal cord injuries should be assessed for sleep apnea

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST

A new study suggests that patients with spinal cord injuries could benefit from careful assessment for sleep apnea.

Diabetes blood glucose targets risk free, research shows

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:32 AM PST

Diabetes research has underlined the importance of people with diabetes achieving their blood sugar goals, to reduce the risk of complications. The team analyzed people with a specific genetic change, which means they have elevated blood glucose levels from birth. These higher levels mimic guidelines issued to people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Leukemia: mode of action of a targeted treatment clarified

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:32 AM PST

The mechanism of senescence -- or premature cell aging -- can have an anticancer effect. New work reveals that targeted treatments for acute promyelocytic leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer, cause a cascade of molecular events leading to cellular senescence and recovery.

Study shows elevated rates of inadequate pap tests in transgender men

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:30 AM PST

Cervical cancer can still occur in female-to-male transgender men. A new study finds that female-to-male (FTM) transgender patients had over 10 times higher odds of having an inadequate Papanicolaou (Pap) test compared to female patients.

Don’t just sit there! Prolonged sitting linked to early mortality in women

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 08:30 AM PST

A new study of 93,000 postmenopausal American women found those with the highest amounts of sedentary time – defined as sitting and resting, excluding sleeping – died earlier than their most active peers. The association remained even when controlling for physical mobility and function, chronic disease status, demographic factors and overall fitness – meaning that even habitual exercisers are at risk if they have high amounts of idle time.

Study provides guidance on drug holidays from popular osteoporosis treatments

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 07:02 AM PST

Doctors commonly recommend drug holidays, or breaks, from certain osteoporosis drugs due to the risks associated with these treatments. Yet little has been known about the ideal duration of the holidays and how best to manage patients during this time.

International study allows better prediction of risk of hereditary cancer

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 07:01 AM PST

An international study has developed a refined method to identify people at risk for certain inherited cancer as a result of Lynch syndrome. The study has carried out clinical and basic researchers who are part of the INSIGHT (International Society for Gastroeintestinal Hereditary Tumors).

Internal clock, feeding rhythm set pace of liver

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 07:01 AM PST

Living organisms have adapted to the day-night cycle and, in most cases, evolved a "circadian clock" -- that is: an actual cellular metronome -- whose effects are not completely known yet. A scientific team has found that in the case of the liver, the rhythm of protein production and release is dictated by both the organisms' feeding behaviors and their internal clock.

Some families would consider terminal sedation for brain injured relatives in permanent vegetative state, study shows

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 06:59 AM PST

The families of some very severely brain injured patients believe that once all treatment options are exhausted, allowing their relatives to die with the help of terminal sedation would be a humane and compassionate option, research has revealed.

Researchers find metabolic clues to diabetic kidney failure

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 06:58 AM PST

A new study that compares the metabolic fingerprints of patients who develop ESRD versus those who don't has furnished new clues to the disease.

Exposures to some phthalates fall after federal ban

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:57 AM PST

Americans are being exposed to significantly lower levels of some phthalates that were banned from children's articles in 2008, but exposures to other forms of these chemicals are rising steeply, according to a study.

Multihormone reverses metabolic damage of high calorie diet

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:56 AM PST

A single molecule, which acts equally on the receptors of the metabolic hormones glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) improves body weight and diabetes through restored function of the anti-obesity hormone leptin. Importantly, scientists found that treatment of obese mice with this GLP-1/Glucagon co-agonist improves metabolism and body weight associated with restored function of the weight lowering hormone leptin, even in the continued presence of a high-fat, high-sugar diet.

Treating chronic kidney disease using clay minerals

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:56 AM PST

Clay has healing powers. This natural product is destined to help treat chronic kidney disease: a well-tolerated agent based on clay minerals lowers patients' excessive phosphate levels.

Gold nanoparticles help to develop a new method for tracking viruses

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:54 AM PST

Researchers have developed a novel method to study enterovirus structures and their functions. The method will help to obtain new information on trafficking of viruses in cells and tissues as well as on the mechanisms of virus opening inside cells. This new information is important for example for developing new antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Research advancements made in diabetes-induced blindness

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:51 AM PST

Investigators have identified new molecular abnormalities in the diabetic cornea that could contribute to eye problems in affected patients. With this new knowledge, investigators aim to accelerate the process of healing and repair in damaged corneas to ultimately reverse the effects of diabetes-induced eye complications.

Researchers identify key components linking circadian rhythms, cell division cycles

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:31 PM PST

Researchers have identified key molecular components linking circadian rhythms and cell division cycles in Neurospora crassa, providing insights that could lead to improved disease treatments and drug delivery.

World's tiniest drug cabinets could be attached to cancerous cells for long term treatment

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:31 PM PST

As if being sick weren't bad enough, there's also the fear of frequent injections, side effects and overdosing on you medication. Now medical researchers have shown that reservoirs of anti-viral pharmaceuticals could be manufactured to bind specifically to infected tissue such as cancer cells for the slow concentrated delivery of drug treatments.

Cervical, vaginal cancer higher in women previously treated for pre-cancerous cells on cervix, study finds

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

Women previously treated for abnormal cells on the cervix (CIN3 or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3) are at an increased risk of developing and dying from cervical or vaginal cancer compared with the general female population and this risk accelerates above age 60, a paper published suggests.

Risk of transient breathing difficulties in newborns of mothers on antidepressants

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

Infants of expectant mothers who take antidepressant drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, during late pregnancy are at an increased risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) finds a study.

Patients with mild hyperglycemia, genetic mutation have low prevalence of vascular complications

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

Despite having mild hyperglycemia for approximately 50 years, patients in a new study with a mutation in the gene encoding the enzyme glucokinase had a low prevalence of clinically significant vascular complications, findings that provide insights into the risks associated with isolated mild hyperglycemia.

Follow-up tests improve colorectal cancer recurrence detection

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

Among patients who had undergone curative surgery for primary colorectal cancer, the screening methods of computed tomography and carcinoembryonic antigen each provided an improved rate of surgical treatment of cancer recurrence compared with minimal follow-up, although there was no advantage in combining these tests, according to a study.

In dyslexia, less brain tissue not to blame for reading difficulties

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

In people with dyslexia, less gray matter in the brain has been linked to reading disabilities, but now new evidence suggests this is a consequence of poorer reading experiences and not the root cause of the disorder.

Alcohol consumption is a necessary cause of nearly 80,000 deaths per year in the Americas, study finds

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

A new study has measured the number and pattern of deaths caused by alcohol consumption in 16 North and Latin American countries. The study reveals that between 2007 and 2009, alcohol was a 'necessary' cause of death (i.e., death would not have occurred in the absence of alcohol consumption) in an average of 79,456 cases per year. Liver disease was the main culprit in most countries.

Muscle-strengthening, conditioning in women associated with reduced risk of diabetes

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

Aerobic exercise is known to prevent type 2 diabetes, and muscle-strengthening alone or in combination with aerobic exercise improves diabetic control among those with diabetes. Although men who weight train have been found to have an associated reduced risk of developing diabetes, whether such an association exists for women has not been established.

Cervical screening up to age 69 may prevent cervical cancer in older women

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:29 PM PST

A study published this week suggests that screening women for cervical cancer beyond age 50 clearly saves lives, and also that there are benefits for women with normal (negative) screening results to continue screening up to the age of 69 years.

New analysis shows fewer years of life lost to cancer

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:27 PM PST

A new statistical approach to measuring the cancer burden in the United States reveals decades of progress in fighting cancer, progress previously masked by the falling death rates of other diseases.

Universal diabetes testing at first prenatal visit recommended

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:27 PM PST

The Endocrine Society is encouraged by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force's (USPSTF) efforts to promote gestational diabetes screening and recommends going a step further to identify undiagnosed type 2 diabetes cases before harmful pregnancy complications can develop.

New therapy potential lifesaver for those intolerant to blood thinners

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:26 PM PST

A new, minimally invasive procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who are intolerant of blood-thinning medications is now available. Atrial fibrillation is a heart disorder that affects nearly 3 million adults in the United States. The procedure, which uses the FDA-approved LARIAT® Suture Delivery Device, provides a permanent, one-time solution to reduce complications surrounding the disorder -- primarily the risk of stroke.

Breast cancer cells disguise themselves as neurons to cause brain tumors

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:26 PM PST

Treatment and "cure" of breast cancer doesn't ensure that the disease won't spread to the brain. Too often, sometimes years after an initial diagnosis and remission, breast cancer cells are discovered growing as new tumors within the brain. Now researchers have found how this happens.

Study reveals senses of sight, sound separated in children with autism

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:26 PM PST

Like watching a foreign movie that was badly dubbed, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have trouble integrating simultaneous information from their eyes and their ears, according to a study published.

Potential for new tests in long-term diabetes complications

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 05:26 PM PST

Monitoring glucose levels is imperative for diabetes patients, but for some the standard Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test is not valid. Researchers have determined that the fructosamine tests and a novel assay for glycated albumin may be useful for predicting complications related to diabetes.

Geriatric health professionals experience added burden when caring for own family members

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 08:42 AM PST

In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, researchers have found that in addition to the well-known burdens of caring for an older family member, a further set of complex stressors is imposed on geriatric health care professionals serving in this capacity. These findings highlight the critical challenges facing all caregivers, even those who deal with these patients daily on a professional basis.

New study to explore intervention to help reduce weight in people with schizophrenia

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 08:41 AM PST

A group of researchers are to investigate whether people with schizophrenia or first episode psychosis are able to reduce their weight through a structured education program. People with schizophrenia are two to three times more likely to be overweight or obese. As well as a range of adverse physical health consequences, such as diabetes and heart disease, weight gain may be an important factor that stops people taking their antipsychotic medication. This increases the risk of relapse of the schizophrenia and worse mental health.

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