ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Research on 3D scaffolds sets new bar in lung regeneration
• New class of antibiotics discovered by chemists
• Personalized treatment prolongs the life of lung cancer patients
• Anti-Psychotic Meds Offer Hope Against Brain Cancer
• New theory on cause of endometriosis
• Majority of Latinas are unaware of their risk of diabetes, study finds
• Volume of notifiable disease reporting may double with required electronic lab reporting
• Cells appearing normal may actually be harbingers of lung cancer
• Emerging multi-drug resistant infections lack standard definition, treatment
• Hospital food safety measures reduce risk of contaminated hospital food
• Pre-term birth leads to increased risk of asthma, wheezing disorders
• Smartphones become 'eye-phones' with low-cost devices
• Inherited Alzheimer's damage greater decades before symptoms appear
• Epigenetic changes could explain type 2 diabetes
• Nasal filter looks promising for allergy sufferers
• People more willing to disclose experience of mental health problems, survey finds
• After years of improving, rates of youth suicide-related behaviors stopped declining, Canadian study finds
• Lifesaving sensor for full bladders under development
• UV light accelerates cancer cells that creep along outside of blood vessels
• Bone turnover markers predict prostate cancer outcomes
• New surgical hypertension treatment not as good as standard drug treatment
• Talking-therapy treatments to manage osteoarthritis pain
• New approach to prostate cancer screening needed in UK, experts say
• Quicker and cheaper toxicity checking of mussels
• Traffic-related air pollution associated with changes in right ventricular structure, function
• Molecular subtyping of breast cancer can better identify women at high risk of disease recurrence
• How seeing the same GP helps your health
• Primary care needs to 'wake-up' to links between domestic abuse, safeguarding children
• Kawasaki disease and pregnant women
• Simple urine test detects common causes of kidney dysfunction after transplantation
• Vitamin D increases breast cancer patient survival, study shows
• Contacts Better Than Permanent Lenses for Babies After Cataract Surgery
• Physician bias does not affect hypertension treatment for minority patients, study suggests
• Obese adolescents not getting enough sleep?
• Gene important to breast development, breast cancer identified

Research on 3D scaffolds sets new bar in lung regeneration Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST For the estimated 12.7 million people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, the third leading cause of death in the US, innovative research efforts in the field of tissue regeneration hold promise. In end-stage lung disease, transplantation is sometimes the only viable therapeutic option, but organ availability is limited and rejection presents an additional challenge. New research focuses on lung tissue bioengineering, which involves the use of a scaffold -- or framework -- of lungs from human cadavers to engineer new lungs for patients with end-stage disease. The studies have examined multiple perspectives on the process of stripping the cellular material from these lungs and replacing it with stem cells in an effort to grow new, healthy lungs for transplantation.

New class of antibiotics discovered by chemists Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST A new class of antibiotics to fight bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health has been discovered by a team of chemists. The new class, called oxadiazoles, was discovered in silico (by computer) screening and has shown promise in the treatment of MRSA in mouse models of infection. MRSA has become a global public-health problem since the 1960s because of its resistance to antibiotics. In the United States alone, 278,000 people are hospitalized and 19,000 die each year from infections caused by MRSA. Only three drugs currently are effective treatments, and resistance to each of those drugs already exists.

Personalized treatment prolongs the life of lung cancer patients Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST Mexican scientists have increased survival rates for patients diagnosed with lunch cancer in metastatic stage (when the disease has spread to different parts of the body) from a rate of nine months of survival to 30 with personalized treatments. Tumor tissue samples were used to extract DNA in order to analyze mutations in the neoplasia (abnormal mass of tissue). Based on the mutations, personalized treatments were provided to the study participants.

Anti-Psychotic Meds Offer Hope Against Brain Cancer Posted: 07 Mar 2014 11:30 AM PST FDA-approved anti-psychotic drugs possess tumor-killing activity against the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer, glioblastoma, new research indicates. "The anti-glioblastoma effects of these drugs are completely unexpected and were only uncovered because we carried out an unbiased genetic screen," said the lead author.

New theory on cause of endometriosis Posted: 07 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PST Changes to two previously unstudied genes are the centerpiece of a new theory regarding the cause and development of endometriosis, a chronic and painful disease affecting one in 10 women. The discovery suggests epigenetic modification, a process that enhances or disrupts how DNA is read, is an integral component of the disease and its progression.

Majority of Latinas are unaware of their risk of diabetes, study finds Posted: 07 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PST The majority of Latinas are unaware of their risk of diabetes, a new study finds, which points to the urgent need for alternate sites of opportunity for diabetes screenings. There is also a need for effective and culturally sensitive follow-up care and case management, the authors note. Latina women are at considerable risk for complications from diabetes. Their fear of, and cultural misconceptions concerning diabetes, together with their lack of understanding of diabetes risks makes diabetes screening and self-care a challenge. The study suggests considering alternative sites like optometry venues, pharmacies, dental visits, mobile delivery via health vans, or even places of worship in order to increase access, education, and culturally sensitive self-management programs.

Volume of notifiable disease reporting may double with required electronic lab reporting Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PST Public health departments nationwide are already feeling the strain from budget cuts. But their case report volumes are forecasted to double when federal requirements for automated electronic laboratory reporting of notifiable diseases go into effect next year, according to a new study.

Cells appearing normal may actually be harbingers of lung cancer Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PST Airways near lung tumors provide clues to the genetics of cancer that suggest that seemingly healthy cells may in fact hide clues that lung cancer will later develop, according to a study. Examination of gene expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) showed these areas can be rich with cancer markers. In addition, researchers discovered the previously unknown role of a cancer-promoting gene in the airways of smokers with lung cancer.

Emerging multi-drug resistant infections lack standard definition, treatment Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PST Infection control practices for detecting and treating patients infected with emerging multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria vary significantly between hospitals. A study including a consortium of more than 200 hospitals found this inconsistency could be contributing to the increase in multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Hospital food safety measures reduce risk of contaminated hospital food Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PST A new study found more than 80 percent of raw chicken used in hospitals in food for patients and staff was contaminated with a form of antibiotic resistant bacteria called extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli. While sufficient preparation eliminated the presence of bacteria, poultry meat delivered to hospital kitchens remains a potential point of entry for these dangerous bacteria into the hospital.

Pre-term birth leads to increased risk of asthma, wheezing disorders Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:10 AM PST Researchers have published findings strongly suggesting that preterm birth -- prior to 37 weeks gestation -- increases the risk of asthma and wheezing disorders during childhood, and that the risk of developing these conditions increases as the degree of prematurity increases. The findings are based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 studies that investigated the association between preterm birth and asthma/wheezing disorders among 1.5 million children.

Smartphones become 'eye-phones' with low-cost devices Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:10 AM PST Researchers have developed two inexpensive adapters that enable a smartphone to capture high-quality images of the front and back of the eye. The adapters make it easy for anyone with minimal training to take a picture of the eye and share it securely with other health practitioners or store it in the patient's electronic record.

Inherited Alzheimer's damage greater decades before symptoms appear Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST The progression of Alzheimer's may slow once symptoms appear and do significant damage, according to a study investigating an inherited form of the disease. Through an international study, researchers have found rapid neuronal damage begins 10 to 20 years before symptoms appear. The next part of the study involves a clinical trial using a range of imaging techniques, and analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, as participants trial new drugs to test their safety, side effects and changes within the brain.

Epigenetic changes could explain type 2 diabetes Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST People with type 2 diabetes have epigenetic changes on their DNA that healthy individuals do not have. This has been shown in a major study by researchers who also found epigenetic changes in a large number of genes that contribute to reduced insulin production. "This shows that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is not only genetic, but also epigenetic," said the leading author.

Nasal filter looks promising for allergy sufferers Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST A newly developed type of filter can help people with nasal symptoms from seasonal hay fever, clinical research suggests. The filter, which is not yet in production, works by being inserted in both nostrils. Depending on the filter's density, it blocks specific particles in the air -- including pollen from grass, which is one of the most frequent causes of hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis).

People more willing to disclose experience of mental health problems, survey finds Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST A new survey has found that people are more willing than ever to disclose their experience of having a mental health problem and receiving treatment. This increase in willingness to disclose, the authors suggest, is most likely due to changing attitudes towards and greater awareness of mental health problems, rather than more people having mental health problems or more people having treatment.

After years of improving, rates of youth suicide-related behaviors stopped declining, Canadian study finds Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST After four years of declining, the rates of teenagers coming into Ontario emergency departments with suicide-related behaviors stopped dropping between 2006 and 2010. "Coming into hospital with a self-inflicted injuries or poisoning is a strong risk factor for suicide," said the lead author. "Within a year of coming into a hospital with suicide-related behavior, 16 per cent will repeat their behavior and about two per cent will die by suicide." In Canada, suicide is the second-leading cause of death in youth -- nearly one quarter of all deaths for those aged 15-19 years.

Lifesaving sensor for full bladders under development Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:01 AM PST Many people suffer from a neurological disease that means that they have difficulties with urinating and incontinence, and have problems controlling their bladders. Spinal injuries can damage the nerve supply to the bladder, meaning that people cannot tell when their bladder is full and needs to be emptied. This then creates an excessively high pressure on the bladder, which affects the kidneys and can lead to damage that may be life-threatening. Current methods for resolving this issue includes a measure of pressure in the bladder with a catheter, which can be uncomfortable. Now, researchers are developing tiny sensors to be implanted in patients for measuring pressure in the bladder.

UV light accelerates cancer cells that creep along outside of blood vessels Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PST Deadly skin cancer (melanoma) cells spread by creeping along the outside of blood vessels: extravascular metastatic migration (EVMM). Ultraviolet light exposure accelerates EVMM in a mouse model, new research has found. Now researchers are targeting new drugs that slow or stop EVMM, potentially reducing the death rate from melanoma.

Bone turnover markers predict prostate cancer outcomes Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PST Biomarkers for bone formation and resorption predict outcomes for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer, a team of researchers has found. Their study also found that the markers identified a small group of patients who responded to the investigational drug atrasentan. The markers' predictive ability could help clinicians match treatments with individual patients, track their effectiveness and affect clinical trial design.

New surgical hypertension treatment not as good as standard drug treatment Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST A simple surgical procedure on the kidneys touted as a revolutionary treatment for high blood pressure turns out to be not so revolutionary after all. In a first its kind, a Norwegian clinical trial shows that established, standard drug treatment works better than the new surgical procedure.

Talking-therapy treatments to manage osteoarthritis pain Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST Abnormalities in the way the brain experiences pain may be to blame for the chronic pain suffered by osteoarthritis patients, scientists have shown for the first time. As a results, the researchers suggest that new therapies should target brain mechanisms to enable the brain to cope more effectively with chronic pain, including mindfulness-based talking therapies.

New approach to prostate cancer screening needed in UK, experts say Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST The UK needs to invest in testing for those men most at risk of prostate cancer rather than follow a cast-the-net-wide approach targeting the whole population, a leading scientist argues. Men in the UK are currently entitled to PSA blood test for prostate cancer once they reach the age of 50 and will be recommended to have a prostate biopsy if their PSA level is greater than their age-specific threshold. This practice leaves around 50,000 men in the UK having an unnecessary prostate biopsy every year which is painful, can cause bleeding and infection and rarely even death.

Quicker and cheaper toxicity checking of mussels Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:38 AM PST A new discovery can make it far easier to check whether mussels have gone bad. Poisonous mussels contain the extremely dangerous and paralyzing neurotoxin saxitoxin. This neurotoxin is the cause of paralytic shellfish poisoning. The first symptoms include numbness in the mouth and lips, spreading to the face and neck. Then, the discomforts come in abundance: headache, dizziness, slurred speech and reduced motor function. The most serious poisonings can lead to fatal paralysis.

Traffic-related air pollution associated with changes in right ventricular structure, function Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:37 AM PST Exposure to high levels of traffic-related air pollution is associated with changes in the right ventricle of the heart that may contribute to the known connection between air pollution exposure and heart disease, according to a new study. "The morphologic changes in the right ventricle of the heart that we found with increased exposure to nitrogen dioxide add to the body of evidence supporting a connection between traffic-related air pollution and cardiovascular disease," said the lead author. "The many adverse effects of air pollution on human health support continued efforts to reduce this burden."

Molecular subtyping of breast cancer can better identify women at high risk of disease recurrence Posted: 06 Mar 2014 06:10 PM PST A method called molecular subtyping can help doctors better determine which of their breast cancer patients are at high risk of getting breast cancer again, a new study reports.

How seeing the same GP helps your health Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:15 PM PST Patients are more likely to raise a health problem with a doctor they've seen over time and have built-up a relationship with, new research has revealed. The insight comes as an increasing number of patients struggle to see the same GP. Seeing the same GP is thought to be important in ensuring quality of patient care, as the doctor will have better knowledge of the patient's history, medications, and health-related behaviors and attitudes.

Primary care needs to 'wake-up' to links between domestic abuse, safeguarding children Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:15 PM PST Researchers looking at how healthcare professionals deal with domestic violence cases have identified that GPs, practice nurses and practice managers are uncertain about how to respond to the exposure of children to domestic violence. In this study, researchers found that primary care practitioners had little knowledge of local domestic violence services and few had direct communication with children's social services. The study also found practitioners' face-to-face communication with children and young people was limited.

Kawasaki disease and pregnant women Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PST In the first study of its type, researchers have looked at the health threat to pregnant women with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD), concluding that the risks are low with informed management and care. KD is a childhood condition affecting the coronary arteries. It is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children. First recognized in Japan following World War II, KD diagnoses are rising among children in Asia, the United States and Western Europe. Predictive models estimate that by 2020 one in every 1,600 American adults will be affected by KD.

Simple urine test detects common causes of kidney dysfunction after transplantation Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PST A new urine test can distinguish among different causes of kidney dysfunction in kidney transplant recipients. Still under development, if it is validated in a larger multicenter study, the test may allow patients to avoid invasive kidney biopsies. "Our study shows that when the creatinine level is elevated in the blood of a kidney transplant recipient, use of our urine test would differentiate the common causes of kidney dysfunction that led to the elevation in creatinine, hence benefiting many patients by allowing them to avoid the need for an invasive needle biopsy," said the lead researcher.

Vitamin D increases breast cancer patient survival, study shows Posted: 06 Mar 2014 01:32 PM PST Breast cancer patients with high levels of vitamin D in their blood are twice as likely to survive the disease as women with low levels of this nutrient, report researchers. According to the National Institutes of Health, the current recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 600 IU for adults and 800 IU for people over 70 years old. The authors urged patients to ask their health care provider to measure their levels before substantially increasing vitamin D intake.

Contacts Better Than Permanent Lenses for Babies After Cataract Surgery Posted: 06 Mar 2014 01:32 PM PST For adults and children who undergo cataract surgery, implantation of an artificial lens is the standard of care. But a clinical trial suggests that for most infants, surgery followed by the use of contact lenses for several years -— and an eventual lens implant -— may be the better solution.

Physician bias does not affect hypertension treatment for minority patients, study suggests Posted: 06 Mar 2014 10:04 AM PST Doctors' unconscious biases favor whites but do not affect high blood pressure treatment for their minority patients, according to a study, even though a previous study by the same research group found that doctors' biases are reflected in lower ratings by African-American patients.

Obese adolescents not getting enough sleep? Posted: 06 Mar 2014 10:04 AM PST Lack of sleep and obesity have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in adults and young children. However, the association is not as clear in adolescents, an age group that is known to lack adequate sleep and have an overweight and obesity prevalence rate of 30 percent in the US. Researchers have now found that cardiometabolic risk in obese adolescents may be predicted by typical sleep patterns.

Gene important to breast development, breast cancer identified Posted: 06 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST A gene important to breast development and breast cancer, has been identified, providing a potential new target for drug therapies to treat aggressive types of breast cancer. The research team identified a gene, TAZ, which controls whether breast cells behave more like basal cells or more like luminal cells, information that might be important in understanding and potentially treating certain difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer. TAZ helps to regulate how different genes operate in different cell types.

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