ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New rehabilitation methods for amputees, stroke patients developed
• Gestational diabetes may raise risk for heart disease in midlife
• Nicotine withdrawal weakens brain connections tied to self-control over cigarette cravings
• Key heart failure culprit discovered in tiny piece of RNA
• Building new drugs just got easier
• 'Master regulator' of obesity? Distant IRX3 gene appears to interact with obesity-related FTO gene mutations
• Transition to ICD-10 may cause information, financial losses for providers
• Microbes help to battle infection: Gut microbes help develop immune cells, study finds
• Majority of transgender patients report negative experiences in emergency departments
• Bacterium, fungus team up to cause virulent tooth decay in toddlers
• Boosting self-esteem prevents health problems for seniors
• Large study identifies exact gut bacteria involved in Crohn's disease
• Could grapefruit be good for your kidneys?
• Blood sugar testing with no sharps
• Debunking water myths: Weight loss, calorie burn and more
• Breast cancer gene could play critical role in obesity, diabetes
• Two definitions for chronic multisymptom illness afflicting Gulf War vets should guide treatment
• Skating to the puck or avoiding the penalty box in health care? Are financial penalties working for changing hospital behavior?
• Texting program good option for teen girls' health, study shows
• Large waist linked to poor health, even among those in healthy body mass index ranges
• Discrepancies in clinical trial reporting raise questions of accuracy
• Pancreatic cancer growth slowed by blocking key enzyme
• Superior visual thinking may be key to independence for high schoolers with autism
• Immune system's redesigned role in fighting cancerous tumors
• Chronic pain research delves into brain: New insight into how brain responds to pain
• Wishing to be another gender: Links to ADHD, autism spectrum disorders
• Liver transplant may arrest neurological damage in rare, progressive form of autism
• Back surgery offers long-term societal benefits, according to new study
• Type 1 diabetes: Gut microbiota networks may influence autoimmune processes
• Parasites in humans influence each other via shared food sources
• Smoking harms your chances of recovering from fractures, research shows
• Antibody could be used to target tumor-causing protein, study shows
• Nicotine patches do not appear to help pregnant smokers to quit, study shows
• Community action not enough to reduce problem drinking and related harms
• New biomarker holds promise for monitoring heart disease
• Operating room computer program improves care, could save U.S. health care system millions
• Repeat emergency visits for opioid overdose raise risk of hospitalization, respiratory failure
• Higher levels of cerebrospinal fluid predict faster cognitive loss in Parkinson's disease
• What's the upside of feeling too sad for chocolate?
• New gene for bipolar disorder discovered
• Type 1 diabetes in adults: Antibody affinity is decisive
• Prescriptions for opioids stabilizing after fivefold increase in 10-year span

New rehabilitation methods for amputees, stroke patients developed Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:18 PM PDT When use of a dominant hand is lost by amputation or stroke, a patient is forced to compensate by using the nondominant hand exclusively for precision tasks like writing or drawing. Presently, the behavioral and neurological effects of chronic, forced use of the nondominant hand are largely understudied and unknown. Now, researchers have shed light on how a patient compensates when losing a dominant hand and suggest improved rehabilitation techniques for those suffering from amputation or stroke.

Gestational diabetes may raise risk for heart disease in midlife Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:18 PM PDT Pregnant women may face an increased risk of early heart disease if they develop gestational diabetes. Early screening and intervention is important to identify later heart disease risk for these mothers, researchers said, along with recognizing reproductive characteristics that may contribute to disease risk in women to inform early prevention efforts.

Nicotine withdrawal weakens brain connections tied to self-control over cigarette cravings Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:17 PM PDT A new brain imaging study shows how smokers suffering from nicotine withdrawal may have more trouble shifting from a key brain network—known as default mode, when people are in a so-called "introspective" state -— and into a control network that could help exert more conscious, self-control over cravings and to focus on quitting for good.

Key heart failure culprit discovered in tiny piece of RNA Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT A small, but powerful, new player in the onset and progression of heart failure has been discovered by cardiovascular researchers. The researchers have also shown how they successfully blocked the newly discovered culprit to halt the debilitating and chronic life-threatening condition in its tracks.

Building new drugs just got easier Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT A method for modifying organic molecules has been developed that significantly expands the possibilities for developing new pharmaceuticals and improving old ones. The innovation makes it easier to modify existing organic compounds by attaching biologically active "functional group" to drug molecules. A typical small-molecule drug derives its activity from such functional groups, which are bound to a relatively simple backbone structure consisting chiefly of carbon atoms.

'Master regulator' of obesity? Distant IRX3 gene appears to interact with obesity-related FTO gene mutations Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT Mutations within the gene FTO have been implicated as the strongest genetic determinant of obesity risk in humans, but the mechanism behind this link remained unknown. Now, an international team of scientists has discovered that the obesity-associated elements within FTO interact with IRX3, a distant gene on the genome that appears to be the functional obesity gene. The FTO gene itself appears to have only a peripheral effect on obesity.

Transition to ICD-10 may cause information, financial losses for providers Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:28 AM PDT Health providers may experience information and financial loss during the mandated conversion from the current International Classification of Diseases to its new and improved version, report researchers. Coding ambiguity for hematology-oncology diagnoses were studied recently to anticipate challenges all providers may face during the transition from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM.

Microbes help to battle infection: Gut microbes help develop immune cells, study finds Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:26 AM PDT Beneficial gut bacteria are necessary for the development of innate immune cells -- specialized types of white blood cells that serve as the body's first line of defense against invading pathogens -- new research has found. The research suggests that a healthy population of gut microbes can actually provide a preventative alternative to antibiotics.

Majority of transgender patients report negative experiences in emergency departments Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:26 AM PDT The majority (52 percent) of transgender patients surveyed for a new study have had negative experiences when it comes to receiving emergency department (ED) care. In total, 408 transgender people in Ontario were included in the analysis that also found 21 per cent reported having avoided the ED in a potential medical emergency because of fear of negative experiences.

Bacterium, fungus team up to cause virulent tooth decay in toddlers Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:26 AM PDT Early childhood caries, a highly aggressive and painful form of tooth decay that frequently occurs in preschool children, especially from backgrounds of poverty, may result from a nefarious partnership between a bacterium and a fungus, according to new research. The resulting tooth decay can be so severe that treatment frequently requires surgery -- in the operating room.

Boosting self-esteem prevents health problems for seniors Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:26 AM PDT The importance of boosting self-esteem is normally associated with the trials and tribulations of adolescence. But new research shows that it's even more important for older adults to maintain and improve upon those confidence levels as they enter their twilight years. "Improving self-esteem provides real health benefits in seniors," says the lead author. "The ultimate solution may be to prevent self esteem from declining."

Large study identifies exact gut bacteria involved in Crohn's disease Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:26 AM PDT While the causes of Crohn's disease are not well understood, recent research indicates an important role for an abnormal immune response to the microbes that live in the gut. In the largest study of its kind, researchers have now identified specific bacteria that are abnormally increased or decreased when Crohn's disease develops. The findings suggest which microbial metabolites could be targeted to treat patients with this chronic and currently incurable inflammatory bowel disease.

Could grapefruit be good for your kidneys? Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:24 AM PDT A natural product found in grapefruit can prevent kidney cysts from forming, new research indicates. Naringenin, which is also present in other citrus fruits, has been found to successfully block the formation of kidney cysts, an effect that occurs in polycystic kidney disease, by regulating the PKD2 protein responsible for the condition. With few treatments currently available, symptoms include high blood pressure and loss of kidney function, and lead to the need for dialysis.

Blood sugar testing with no sharps Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:23 AM PDT Measuring blood sugar when you have diabetes usually involves pricking your finger and using a glucose monitor for the test. While this approach can give people with diabetes vital information about whether they need to take insulin or eat something sugary, it is nevertheless painful and inconvenient. Now, an international research team is one step closer to an entirely non-invasive blood sugar test.

Debunking water myths: Weight loss, calorie burn and more Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:23 AM PDT Drinking a lot of water is often advised to those who are trying to lose weight. But a nutrition expert says, while it is important, it's not the magic bullet to weight loss. If losing weight is the goal, the researchers suggests trying long-running weight management programs based on real research.

Breast cancer gene could play critical role in obesity, diabetes Posted: 12 Mar 2014 08:48 AM PDT The gene known to be associated with breast cancer susceptibility, BRCA 1, plays a critical role in the normal metabolic function of skeletal muscle, according to a new study. Mutations in the BRCA1 gene may also put people at increased risk for metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes, this research indicates.

Two definitions for chronic multisymptom illness afflicting Gulf War vets should guide treatment Posted: 12 Mar 2014 08:48 AM PDT Two existing definitions of chronic multisymptom illness -- one by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and another from a study of Kansas Gulf War veterans -- should be used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to guide research and treatment of Gulf War veterans, says a new report.

Skating to the puck or avoiding the penalty box in health care? Are financial penalties working for changing hospital behavior? Posted: 12 Mar 2014 08:48 AM PDT A new article questions whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' use of financial penalties is the right tack for changing the behavior of hospitals. In the article, the researchers examine the pros and cons of the hospital readmissions reduction policy in the Affordable Care Act as an example of similar CMS initiatives.

Texting program good option for teen girls' health, study shows Posted: 12 Mar 2014 08:48 AM PDT An emergency medicine physician recently led a study that found a text-message program may be an effective violence prevention tool for at-risk teen girls. The team interviewed girls between the ages of 13 and 17 who reported past-year peer violence and depressive symptoms during emergency department visits for any medical issue. Overwhelmingly, the interviews showed that at-risk teen girls coming to the ED for care are very interested in receiving a text-message violence prevention intervention. The teens felt that a text-message program would enhance their existing coping strategies, and that they would not only use it themselves, but also refer their friends to it.

Large waist linked to poor health, even among those in healthy body mass index ranges Posted: 12 Mar 2014 08:45 AM PDT Having a big belly has consequences beyond trouble squeezing into your pants. It's detrimental to your health, even if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI), a new international collaborative study has found. Men and women with large waist circumferences were more likely to die younger, and were more likely to die from illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory problems, and cancer after accounting for body mass index, smoking, alcohol use and physical activity.

Discrepancies in clinical trial reporting raise questions of accuracy Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:35 AM PDT In an analysis of 96 research trial results published in top journals, almost all had at least one discrepancy between what was reported on the public clinical trial registry clinicaltrials.gov and what was posted in the journal article. A new research letter raises serious questions about the accuracy of results reporting in both clinical trial registries and publications, and the importance of consistent presentation of accurate results.

Pancreatic cancer growth slowed by blocking key enzyme Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:34 AM PDT Blocking the function of an enzyme known as Hhat slows the growth and spread of pancreatic cancer by preventing a protein called Hedgehog from stimulating nearby normal cells to help the cancer, reserach shows. The study examined the role of Hedgehog, whose usual job is to send signals to cells in embryos to divide and grow into the correct body parts. But while Hedgehog usually switches off when the embryo is formed, in many cancers, including pancreatic, it becomes abnormally reactivated.

Superior visual thinking may be key to independence for high schoolers with autism Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:34 AM PDT Teaching independence to adolescents with autism can provide a crucial boost to their chances for success after high school, researchers has demonstrated. According to the researchers, independence is the biggest indicator of which students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are likely to live on their own, have a job, and participate in their communities after high school.

Immune system's redesigned role in fighting cancerous tumors Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:31 AM PDT Solid tumors were eradicated in laboratory mice by researchers using a novel combination of two targeted agents. These two synergistic therapies stimulate an immune response, ultimately allowing solid tumors to act as their own cancer-fighting vaccine. "Instead of administering a cancer vaccine to destroy tumors, we hope to modify the immune system to allow the patient's own tumor to act as a cancer vaccine," explained the lead author

Chronic pain research delves into brain: New insight into how brain responds to pain Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:31 AM PDT New insights into how the human brain responds to chronic pain could eventually lead to improved treatments for patients, researchers say. Chronic pain is common throughout the world. More than 100 million Americans are believed to be affected by chronic pain. "People living with chronic headache and other forms of chronic pain may experience reduced quality of life, as the pain often prevents them from working, amongst other things. It is therefore imperative that we understand the causes of chronic pain, not just attempt to treat the symptoms with medication," the lead author said.

Wishing to be another gender: Links to ADHD, autism spectrum disorders Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:31 AM PDT Children and teenagers with an autism spectrum disorder or those who have attention deficit and hyperactivity problems are much more likely to wish to be another gender. This is the conclusion of the first study to compare the occurrence of such gender identity issues among children and adolescents with and without specific neurodevelopmental disorders. Participant children were between 6 and 18 years old. They either had no neurodevelopmental disorder, or they were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a medical neurodevelopmental disorder such as epilepsy, or neurofibromatosis.

Liver transplant may arrest neurological damage in rare, progressive form of autism Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:27 AM PDT A patient with a rare metabolic disease, lathosterolosis, that causes liver failure and autistic behavior experienced significant improvements in both her physical and mental health after receiving a liver transplant, according to a new case report. Lathosterolosis, a rare disease caused by a defect in cholesterol synthesis, is characterized by multiple congenital anomalies, mental retardation, and progressive liver disease.

Back surgery offers long-term societal benefits, according to new study Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:27 AM PDT A new study uncovered that the estimated average annual earnings of working patients who undergo surgery are $47,619, compared to $45,694 for those with non-surgical treatments. Therefore, the annual earnings are increased by $1,925 for those patients receiving surgery. Additionally, patients who undergo surgery miss three fewer days of work each year as compared to patients who elect for nonsurgical treatment.

Type 1 diabetes: Gut microbiota networks may influence autoimmune processes Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:25 AM PDT The interactions of the gut microbiota in children with typical diabetes autoantibodies differ from that in healthy children. The fact that these differences already exist before antibodies are detectable in the blood adds to the growing evidence that microbial DNA, the so-called microbiome, may be involved in the development of autoimmune processes.

Parasites in humans influence each other via shared food sources Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:25 AM PDT Over 1,400 species of parasites -- viruses, bacteria, fungi, intestinal worms and protozoa -- are able to infect humans. In most cases, the right medicine against a parasite cures the patient. If he or she suffers from an infection by two or more species of parasite at the same time, however, it soon becomes more difficult to diagnose and treat. Medication can even exacerbate the medical condition if one pathogen is killed off but the second flourishes. One reason is the little-understood interactions between the parasites that reside in the same host.

Smoking harms your chances of recovering from fractures, research shows Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:24 AM PDT Bone healing cells in non-smokers are of a better quality, more active and quicker at dividing than those of smokers, according to new research that involved gathering 50 fracture patients who volunteered to allow blood from the area of the fracture to be analyzed.

Antibody could be used to target tumor-causing protein, study shows Posted: 11 Mar 2014 03:47 PM PDT Patients with advanced melanoma and kidney cancer who were treated with a certain antibody that targets a tumor-enhancing protein was safe, which could lead to more treatment options for patients, researchers have found in a phase-1 study. This study sheds light on a therapy that could be used alone or in combination to help patients with a number of cancers.

Nicotine patches do not appear to help pregnant smokers to quit, study shows Posted: 11 Mar 2014 03:46 PM PDT Nicotine patches do not appear to help pregnant smokers to quit, according to a study. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes and may have long lasting effects in offspring. In England, 26% of women smoke in the year before their pregnancy and 12% smoke through to delivery. The rate is similar or even higher in other high income countries. Guidelines suggest adding nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) to behavioral smoking cessation support in pregnant smokers because of their excellent safety profile and proved effectiveness in other groups of smokers. However, there is a lack of good quality evidence on the effectiveness of NRT in pregnant smokers.

Community action not enough to reduce problem drinking and related harms Posted: 11 Mar 2014 03:46 PM PDT Implementation of community-based interventions alone is unlikely to be effective for reducing most alcohol-related harms and risky alcohol consumption, according to a new study. Alcohol-related crime, road-traffic crashes, and hospital inpatient admissions did not differ between communities that did and did not implement community-based interventions, according to new research.

New biomarker holds promise for monitoring heart disease Posted: 11 Mar 2014 03:46 PM PDT A special newly discovered biomarker, "Gb3," potentially related to the survival of heart disease patients, could change the way the country's No. 1 killer is monitored in the future. The study found that patients with a higher level of the urinary lipid globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) may be at greater risk for near-term death as a result of heart disease. The presence of elevated urinary Gb3, along with other lipids, indicated for the first time that heart disease is linked to lipid abnormalities in organs outside of the heart in patients with common forms of heart disease.

Operating room computer program improves care, could save U.S. health care system millions Posted: 11 Mar 2014 12:16 PM PDT OrthoSecure(TM), a novel computer-based system for operating rooms that is designed to improve the care of patients undergoing a knee or hip replacement and to minimize the number of implant parts that are erroneously opened and not used, has been launched in an American hospital for the first time. OrthoSecure(TM) could lead to increased efficiency and significant saving to the U.S. health care industry.

Repeat emergency visits for opioid overdose raise risk of hospitalization, respiratory failure Posted: 11 Mar 2014 09:41 AM PDT Patients brought to hospital emergency departments more than once in a year for treatment of opioid drug overdoses are more likely to be hospitalized for overdose and to need respiratory support with a mechanical ventilator. The authors note that the increased use of opioid drugs for pain management -- reflected in a quadrupling in sales between 1999 and 2010 -- has been accompanied by a rising incidence of opioid overdoses, leading to an 183 percent increase in ED visits for such overdoses nationwide from 2004 to 2011.

Higher levels of cerebrospinal fluid predict faster cognitive loss in Parkinson's disease Posted: 11 Mar 2014 09:40 AM PDT A characteristic pathological feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the presence of Lewy bodies, which are formed by intracellular deposits of the protein α-synuclein in neurons. Although several large studies have examined α-synuclein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of PD patients, its role in cognitive decline and dementia had been unexplored. Now, counterintuitive findings offer new insights into PD pathology.

What's the upside of feeling too sad for chocolate? Posted: 11 Mar 2014 09:39 AM PDT The instant gratification and the pleasure derived from consuming excessive chocolate and deep-fried foods can lead way to a double-edged sword of negative consequences ranging from weight gain to feelings of low self-esteem. According to a new study, combating this type of self-destructive behavior may be achieved simply by making a person feel sad.

New gene for bipolar disorder discovered Posted: 11 Mar 2014 09:39 AM PDT First on top of the world and then in the depths of despair – this is what the extreme mood changes for people with bipolar disorder are like. Two new gene regions that are connected with the prevalent disease have been discovered by an international collaboration of researchers. In addition, they were able to confirm three additional suspect genes. In this unparalleled worldwide study, the scientists are utilizing unprecedented numbers of patients.

Type 1 diabetes in adults: Antibody affinity is decisive Posted: 11 Mar 2014 07:49 AM PDT Patients with LADA -- a form of autoimmune type 1 diabetes in adulthood -- can be distinguished from patients with non-autoimmune type 2 diabetes by means of the antibody reaction affinity to the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). Scientists have reported that high-affinity GAD antibodies are found in patients who produce only a little of their own insulin and who will require insulin therapy after only a relatively short time.

Prescriptions for opioids stabilizing after fivefold increase in 10-year span Posted: 11 Mar 2014 07:13 AM PDT To support the appropriate use of opioids and inform public health interventions to prevent drug abuse, most states have implemented a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Researchers have evaluated the impact of these state-wide programs and found that after tripling until 2007, annual rates of prescriptions for opioid analgesics have stabilized although the effects of PDMPs on opioid dispensing vary markedly by state.

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