ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Mental disorders in mid-life, older adulthood, more prevalent than previously reported
• Two-sizes-too-small 'Grinch' effect hampers heart transplantation success
• Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses
• Bio-inspired glue keeps hearts securely sealed
• Information as important as medication in reducing migraine pain
• Cancer genomics hub adds childhood cancer data
• Nociceptin: Nature's balm for the stressed brain
• Blood test to locate gene defects associated with cancer may not be far off
• Molecular engines star in new model of DNA repair
• Young children engage in physical activity in short spurts; preschoolers take 11 hours to attain daily exercise levels
• Scientists identify possible key to drug resistance in Crohn's disease
• Heart attacks hit poor hardest
• Stopping tumors in their path
• AML score combining genetic, epigenetic changes might help guide therapy
• New method for efficiently transporting antibodies across the blood-brain barrier
• Older firefighters may be more resilient to working in heat
• Scientists find new mechanism underlying depression
• Chemical imaging brings cancer tissue analysis into digital age
• COPD: Disease Management Program is largely consistent with guidelines
• Lower fat content for adolescents' diets
• Seniors moving to homecare based services face more hospital risk
• New research may boost drug efficacy in treating pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Survival protein a potential new target for many cancers
• Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity
• Health, wealth connected?
• Epigenetics of breast cancer family history
• New diagnostic, therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma
• BPA increases risk of cancer in human prostate tissue, study shows
• Researchers discover molecule behind the benefits of exercise
• Neurotransmitters resarch can promote better drugs for brain disorders
• By the numbers: Simple 10 step approach to reducing harms of alcohol
• Breastfeeding associated with lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis, according to new study
• Beating poppy seed defense: New test can distinguish heroin use from seed ingestion
• MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10
• New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics
• Mathematics for safer medicine
• Ear tubes vs. watchful waiting: Tubes do not improve long-term development
• Development of a novel dual JAK/Src kinase inhibitor
• Regulation of cancer stem cell growth, survival
• Study finds mechanism for increased activity of oncogene in certain cancers
• Researchers link protein with breast cancer's spread to brain
• Improper use of biocides in food production may endanger public health

Mental disorders in mid-life, older adulthood, more prevalent than previously reported Posted: 08 Jan 2014 02:09 PM PST Common methods of assessing mental or physical disorders may consistently underestimate the prevalence of mental disorders among middle-aged and older adults, a new study has found. The analysis reveals substantial discrepancies among mid-life and late-life adults in reporting past mental health disorders, including depression, compared with physical disorders such as arthritis and hypertension.

Two-sizes-too-small 'Grinch' effect hampers heart transplantation success Posted: 08 Jan 2014 02:05 PM PST Current protocols for matching donor hearts to recipients foster sex mismatching and heart size disparities, according to a first-of-its kind analysis by physicians. Matching by donor heart size may provide better outcomes for recipients.

Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:45 PM PST Researchers have identified that injection frequency and taking anti-retroviral therapy for HIV are risk factors for nonfatal drug overdoses among Russians who are HIV positive and inject drugs.

Bio-inspired glue keeps hearts securely sealed Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:44 PM PST In the preclinical study, researchers developed a bio-inspired adhesive that could rapidly attach biodegradable patches inside a beating heart -- in the exact place where congenital holes in the heart occur, such as with ventricular heart defects.

Information as important as medication in reducing migraine pain Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:44 PM PST The information that doctors provide when prescribing drug therapies has long been thought to play a role in the way that patients respond to drug therapies. Now an innovative study of migraine headache confirms that a patient's expectations influence the effects of both medication and placebo pills.

Cancer genomics hub adds childhood cancer data Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:40 PM PST Researchers studying the genetics of childhood cancers now have access to a large and growing set of genomic data through the Cancer Genomics Hub (CGHub).

Nociceptin: Nature's balm for the stressed brain Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:40 PM PST Scientists have made new findings on a system in the brain that naturally moderates the effects of stress.

Blood test to locate gene defects associated with cancer may not be far off Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:40 PM PST A simple blood test that can locate gene defects associated with cancer? New research suggests the technology may not be too far off.

Molecular engines star in new model of DNA repair Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:33 AM PST In a new study, researchers reveal how an enzyme called RNA polymerase patrols the genome for DNA damage and helps recruit partners to repair it. The result: fewer mutations and consequently less cancer and other kinds of disease.

Young children engage in physical activity in short spurts; preschoolers take 11 hours to attain daily exercise levels Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:31 AM PST Preschool-aged children require the majority of their waking day, approximately 11 hours, to achieve their recommended daily physical activity, a study has found.

Scientists identify possible key to drug resistance in Crohn's disease Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:37 AM PST Scientists have identified a normally small subset of immune cells that may play a major role in the development of Crohn's disease generally and in disease-associated steroid resistance specifically.

Heart attacks hit poor hardest Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:37 AM PST "Frailty syndrome" is emerging in the field of public health as a powerful predictor of healthcare use and death. Now researchers have found that poor people are more than twice as likely as the wealthy to become frail after a heart attack. The findings could help doctors and policymakers improve post-heart-attack care for the poor.

Stopping tumors in their path Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:37 AM PST Glioblastoma is the most common and deadly form of primary malignant brain cancer, occurring mostly in adults between the ages of 45 and 70. The recurrence of GBM is usually fatal, resulting in an average patient survival time of less than two years. A new study identifies two specific key players in the growth of GBM.

AML score combining genetic, epigenetic changes might help guide therapy Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:37 AM PST Currently, doctors use chromosome markers and gene mutations to determine the best treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. But a new study suggests that a score based on seven mutated genes and the epigenetic changes that the researchers discovered were also present might help guide treatment by identifying novel subsets of patients. Patients with a low score had the best outcomes, and those with high scores had the poorest outcomes.

New method for efficiently transporting antibodies across the blood-brain barrier Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:35 AM PST Researchers have published results on the Roche-designed Brain Shuttle technology that efficiently transfers investigational antibodies from the blood through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the brain in preclinical models. Scientists found that such enhanced transfer of antibodies through the BBB was associated with a marked improvement in amyloid reduction in the brain of a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Older firefighters may be more resilient to working in heat Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:26 AM PST A new study finds that older firefighters may show signs of long-term heat adaptation due to repeated occupational heat stress exposure.

Scientists find new mechanism underlying depression Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST Researchers have shown that changes in a type of brain cells called microglia underlie the depressive symptoms brought on by exposure to chronic stress. In animal experiments, the researchers were able to demonstrate that microglia-stimulating drugs served as effective and fast-acting antidepressants, producing complete recovery of the depressive-like behavioral symptoms and increasing neurogenesis to normal levels within days. This suggests new avenues for drug research, using microglia stimulators as antidepressants.

Chemical imaging brings cancer tissue analysis into digital age Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST A new method for analyzing biological samples based on their chemical makeup is set to transform the way medical scientists examine diseased tissue.

COPD: Disease Management Program is largely consistent with guidelines Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST Few discrepancies exist between the disease management program "Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" and current clinical practice guidelines.

Lower fat content for adolescents' diets Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST The prevalence of excess weight and obesity among adolescents and, as a result, the concomitant problems, has increased considerably in recent years. A study has confirmed that, irrespective of the total calories consumed and the physical activity done, an excessive proportion of fat in the diet leads to a greater accumulation of fat in the abdomen of adolescents.

Seniors moving to homecare based services face more hospital risk Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST Community and home-based care services are popular and cost Medicaid less money than nursing home care, but a new study finds that seniors who left the nursing home for such services were 40 percent more likely to become hospitalized for a potentially preventable reason than those who stayed in the nursing home.

New research may boost drug efficacy in treating pulmonary arterial hypertension Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:53 PM PST The development of new, more effective vasodilators to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension has been hampered because of their systemic toxicity and adverse side effects. An international team of investigators seeking to surmount these problems and increase drug efficacy have determined that a vascular homing peptide can selectively target hypertensive pulmonary arteries to boost the pulmonary but not systemic effects of vasodilators. Importantly for potential clinical use, this peptide retains its activity when given sublingually.

Survival protein a potential new target for many cancers Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:53 PM PST Researchers have discovered a promising strategy for treating cancers that are caused by one of the most common cancer-causing changes in cells. The discovery offers hope for treating many types of cancer that are driven to grow and spread through the actions of a cancer-causing protein called MYC. Up to 70 percent of human cancers, including many leukaemias and lymphomas, have unusually high levels of MYC.

Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:51 PM PST A new neuroscience study sheds light on the biological underpinnings of obesity. The study reveals how a protein in the brain helps regulate food intake and body weight. The findings create a potential new avenue for the treatment of obesity and may help explain why medications that interfere with this protein, such as gabapentin and pregabalin, can cause weight gain.

Health, wealth connected? Posted: 07 Jan 2014 02:20 PM PST We ring in the new year with hopes of being healthy, wealthy, and wise. A new study suggests that from a public health standpoint, health and wealth may be connected. Researchers examined Google search patterns during the recent recession, and discovered that people searched for keywords related to health symptoms much more frequently than they would have if the recession hadn't taken place.

Epigenetics of breast cancer family history Posted: 07 Jan 2014 02:20 PM PST Researchers have examined whether a specific epigenetic modification (more specifically, methylation of the DNA) can be associated to breast cancer family history in unaffected women from high-risk breast cancer families.

New diagnostic, therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma Posted: 07 Jan 2014 02:09 PM PST With low survival rates for patients with metastasized melanoma, accurate staging and effective treatments are critical to extending life. New research highlights the potential of newly developed radiopharmaceuticals with benzamide for the imaging of metastases, and as a targeted systemic therapy.

BPA increases risk of cancer in human prostate tissue, study shows Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:57 AM PST Fetal exposure to a commonly used plasticizer found in products such as water bottles, soup can liners and paper receipts, can increase the risk for prostate cancer later in life, according to a study.

Researchers discover molecule behind the benefits of exercise Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:57 AM PST While it's clear that exercise can improve health and longevity, the changes that occur in the body to facilitate these benefits are less clear. Now researchers have discovered a molecule that is produced during exercise and contributes to the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism.

Neurotransmitters resarch can promote better drugs for brain disorders Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:26 AM PST Although drugs have been developed that inhibit the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain -- a condition which causes many brain disorders and nervous system diseases -- the exact understanding of the mechanism by which these drugs work has not yet been fully explained.

By the numbers: Simple 10 step approach to reducing harms of alcohol Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Much the same way individuals are encouraged to know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a new article urges the European public to know and monitor their alcohol intake number using a simple 10 point plan.

Breastfeeding associated with lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis, according to new study Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST In a new study of over 7,000 older Chinese women, breastfeeding – especially for a longer duration – is shown to be associated with a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Specifically, it showed that women who had breastfed their children were around half as likely to have RA, compared to women who had never breastfed.

Beating poppy seed defense: New test can distinguish heroin use from seed ingestion Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST Heroin is one of the most widely used illegal drugs in the world, but drug testing has long been challenged by the difficulty in separating results of illicit heroin users from those who have innocently eaten poppy seeds containing a natural opiate. Research explores a new test which may present a solution to this so-called 'poppy seed defense.'

MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10 Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST The emergence of MRSA, dubbed a 'superbug' due to its resistance to many antibiotic drugs, has resulted in the glycopeptide antibiotic Vancomycin being commonly prescribed for patients in hospital. However, MRSA's resistance to drugs has led to concerns of a 'creeping minimum' in the concentration of the dosage required to treat infection. In adults, nomograms are used to calculate the correct dosage of Vancomycin based on a patient's weight and creatinine levels. New research explores the accuracy of adult nomograms in children over ten.

New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST In many countries, strokes are seen as a lower priority when compared to other diseases despite their public health impact. This is partly due to a lack of readily accessible data to make the case for the development of national stroke strategies. Efforts of a global team to launch a repository housing the latest published information on the impact of strokes worldwide.

Mathematics for safer medicine Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST A research group analyzes large amounts of data and calculates uncertainties in technical systems. The group of mathematicians and computer scientists especially focuses on increasing the security of technology in operating rooms.

Ear tubes vs. watchful waiting: Tubes do not improve long-term development Posted: 06 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST Study suggests tubes, adenoidectomy reduce fluid in the middle ear and improve hearing in the short term, but tubes did not improve speech or language for children with middle ear fluid.

Development of a novel dual JAK/Src kinase inhibitor Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:01 PM PST Inhibitors of both JAK and Src kinases represent promising targets for cancer therapeutics because of the central importance of these kinases in tumor cell proliferation and survival. This research article describes MLS-2384 which is a synthetic derivative of amarine natural product, 6-bromoindirubin-3-oxime.

Regulation of cancer stem cell growth, survival Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:01 PM PST In a new paper, authors show evidence indicating the presence of autocrine/paracrine EPO in the conditioned medium of cultured breast cancer cells and a functional role of an EPO-EPOR autocrine/paracrine loop in regulating tumor cell invasion and migration, and the stem-ness of breast cancer cells.

Study finds mechanism for increased activity of oncogene in certain cancers Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST The increased activation of a key oncogene in head and neck cancers could be the result of mutation and dysfunction of regulatory proteins that are supposed to keep the gene, which has the potential to cause cancer, in check, according to a new study.

Researchers link protein with breast cancer's spread to brain Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:33 AM PST A cancer-research team has identified a protein that may be a major culprit when breast cancer metastasizes to the brain.

Improper use of biocides in food production may endanger public health Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:32 AM PST Biocides used in the food industry at sublethal doses may be endangering, rather than protecting, public health by increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria and enhancing their ability to form harmful biofilms, according to a study published. This is among the first studies to examine the latter phenomenon.

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