ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Experts urge new discipline combining benefits of neuroscience, psychology treatments
• High-dose fluticasone effective against eosinophilic esophagitis, study shows
• New clues to brain's wiring found by scientists
• Targets for immunotherapy in early-stage breast cancer
• Immune cell's role in intestinal movement may lead to better understanding of irritable bowel syndrome
• Genetic variations may modify cardiovascular benefit of aspirin
• Adults with eosinophilic esophagitis should consider a diet change
• Essential Oils May Provide Good Source of Food Preservation
• New cellular garbage control pathway with relevance for human neurodegenerative diseases
• Novel mechanism for invasion of EV71 virus demonstrated
• Weight management program also reduces depression among black women
• 'Support' cells in brain play important role in Down syndrome
• Measuring the number of protein molecules inside cells
• Why the immune system fails to kill HIV
• Random nature of metastasis revealed by physicists
• Politically driven legislation targeting dangerous dogs has had little impact
• Predicting which HIV patients will respond better to future therapeutic vaccine
• Bowel cancer breakthrough may benefit thousands of patients
• Choosing cheese: Research identifies microbial communities in cheese
• Vision loss associated with work status
• Sexual abuse in childhood linked to signs of atherosclerosis in midlife
• Fish oil may benefit alcohol abusers
• New gene discovered that stops spread of deadly cancer
• Preventing foodborne illness naturally: with cinnamon
• Best anticoagulants after orthopedic procedures depends on type of surgery

Experts urge new discipline combining benefits of neuroscience, psychology treatments Posted: 18 Jul 2014 10:50 AM PDT For some conditions, such as bipolar disorder, psychological treatments are not effective or are in their infancy. A 'culture gap' between neuroscientists and clinical scientists is hindering mental health treatment, say the life scientists, who call on scientists from both disciplines to work together to advance the understanding and treatment of psychological disorders.

High-dose fluticasone effective against eosinophilic esophagitis, study shows Posted: 18 Jul 2014 10:50 AM PDT High doses of the corticosteroid fluticasone propionate safely and effectively induce remission in many people with eosinophilic esophagitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus characterized by high levels of white blood cells called eosinophils, research shows. However, some trial participants in the study did not respond to fluticasone even after six months of high-dose treatments, providing evidence that certain people with eosinophilic esophagitis are steroid-resistant.

New clues to brain's wiring found by scientists Posted: 18 Jul 2014 10:15 AM PDT New research provides an intriguing glimpse into the processes that establish connections between nerve cells in the brain. These connections, or synapses, allow nerve cells to transmit and process information involved in thinking and moving the body. Researchers have identified a group of proteins that program a common type of brain nerve cell to connect with another type of nerve cell in the brain.

Targets for immunotherapy in early-stage breast cancer Posted: 18 Jul 2014 10:15 AM PDT A new molecular analysis tool has been used to detect the level of an important target for immunotherapy in early-stage breast cancers, researchers report. The diagnostic test, using RNAScope, measures the amount of PD-L1 mRNA in cancer tissues and is devoid of many of the technical issues that plague antibody-based detection methods that have yielded conflicting results in the past. PD-L1 is the target of several novel immune stimulatory therapies in clinical trials.

Immune cell's role in intestinal movement may lead to better understanding of irritable bowel syndrome Posted: 18 Jul 2014 10:15 AM PDT Learning the role of immune-system cells in healthy digestive tracts and how they interact with neighboring nerve cells may lead to new treatments for irritable bowel syndrome, researchers say. The muscular lining of the intestine contains a distinct kind of macrophage, an immune system cell that helps fight infections. The role of these cells in normal colon function is not known, although they have been linked to inflammation after abdominal surgery.

Genetic variations may modify cardiovascular benefit of aspirin Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:56 AM PDT A common genetic variation in the COMT gene may modify the cardiovascular benefit of aspirin, and in some people, may confer slight harm, a new study suggests. Aspirin is currently the gold standard for antiplatelet therapy and a daily low-dose aspirin is widely prescribed for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Adults with eosinophilic esophagitis should consider a diet change Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:56 AM PDT Dietary elimination is a successful method of treatment for adults with eosinophilic esophagitis, according to a new study. Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic immune system disease caused by a buildup of white blood cells in the lining of the esophagus. This build up, which is a reaction to food, allergens or acid reflux, can inflame or injure esophageal tissue, making swallowing and eating a challenge for patients.

Essential Oils May Provide Good Source of Food Preservation Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:45 AM PDT Essential oils may be able to be used as food preservatives in packaging to help extend the shelf-life of food products, a new study suggests. Essential oils are aromatic oily liquids extracted from different parts of plants (roots, peels, leaves, seeds, fruits, barks) and have been shown to be a good source of antioxidative and antimicrobial properties.

New cellular garbage control pathway with relevance for human neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:04 AM PDT Several human neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, are linked to an accumulation of abnormal and aggregated proteins in cells. Cellular 'garbage' can be removed from cells by sweeping them to a cellular recycling station known as the lysosome. Scientists have now discovered a new family of helper proteins that recognize labeled protein waste and guide them efficiently to the lysosome for destruction and recycling.

Novel mechanism for invasion of EV71 virus demonstrated Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:04 AM PDT A novel mechanism for EV71 entry mediated by its receptor SCARB2 has been reported by scientists. These findings make a significant conceptual advance in the understanding of non-enveloped virus entry, to which EV71 belongs. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease in the Asia-Pacific region. Unlike other enteroviruses, EV71 can cause severe aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, myocarditis and acute flaccid paralysis, thus leading to significant fatality rates.

Weight management program also reduces depression among black women Posted: 18 Jul 2014 06:57 AM PDT An intervention program aimed at helping obese women maintain their weight without adding pounds also significantly reduced depression in nearly half the participants, according to a new study. The study cites past research showing that women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression, and more than one in seven black women will suffer major depression.

'Support' cells in brain play important role in Down syndrome Posted: 18 Jul 2014 06:57 AM PDT A group of cells in the brain has been identified by researchers who say that it plays an important role in the abnormal neuron development in Down syndrome. After developing a new model for studying the syndrome using patient-derived stem cells, the scientists also found that applying an inexpensive antibiotic to the cells appears to correct many abnormalities in the interaction between the cells and developing neurons.

Measuring the number of protein molecules inside cells Posted: 18 Jul 2014 06:56 AM PDT The identification of the genes and proteins involved in a biological process, as well as the way they interact, are essential for the understanding of that process. However, often little is known about the dimensions of molecular biological structures. Knowing how many molecules make up a structure and are required for its function are essential for our understanding of biological mechanisms, yet poses a difficult challenge. Now, in a breakthrough study, researchers were able to measure the amount of protein molecules in living human cells required to form the centromere.

Why the immune system fails to kill HIV Posted: 18 Jul 2014 06:54 AM PDT Our immune system contains CD8+ T cells which protect us from various diseases such as cancer and viruses. Some of them are specifically tasked with killing cells infected with the HIV virus – and researchers have for the first time identified a key explanation for why these cells are unsuccessful in their task. In simple terms, the immune system's ignition keys have not been turned all the way to the start position, which would enable the CD8+ T cells to kill the cells infected with HIV.

Random nature of metastasis revealed by physicists Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:22 PM PDT The spreading of a cancerous tumor from one part of the body to another may occur through pure chance instead of key genetic mutations, a new study has shown. Physicists have used a statistical model to show that the formation of a new secondary tumor -- commonly known as a metastasis -- could just as likely derive from "common" cancer cells that circulate in the bloodstream, as from "specialist" cancer cells.

Politically driven legislation targeting dangerous dogs has had little impact Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:22 PM PDT UK legislation that targets 'dangerous dogs' has not been shown to reduce dog bites and policies should be based on evidence and risk assessment, suggests a new article. Risk assessment for human violence has proved to be accurate and reliable and the author says this "might be a practical preventative measure to reduce injury from dog bite" along with medical and veterinary professionals "familiarizing themselves with evidence based resources."

Predicting which HIV patients will respond better to future therapeutic vaccine Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:21 PM PDT HIV patients with a higher level of a particular biomarker, or a measurable indicator found in the blood, may respond more favorably to an experimental immune activating vaccine, a study suggests. Experts believe the findings might lead to a more customized vaccine for certain patients, which potentially might permit them to come off antiretrovirals, drugs used to treat HIV.

Bowel cancer breakthrough may benefit thousands of patients Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:21 PM PDT A significant breakthrough has been made that may benefit patients with bowel cancer. Researchers have discovered how two genes cause bowel cancer cells to become resistant to treatments used against the disease. The activity of the two genes, called MEK and MET, was uncovered when the researchers looked at all the different pathways and interactions taking place in bowel cancer cells.

Choosing cheese: Research identifies microbial communities in cheese Posted: 17 Jul 2014 03:05 PM PDT After studying 137 varieties of cheese collected in 10 different countries, researchers have been able to identify three general types of microbial communities that live on cheese, opening the door to using each as a 'model' community for the study of whether and how various microbes and fungi compete or cooperate as they form communities, what molecules may be involved in the process and what mechanisms may be involved.

Vision loss associated with work status Posted: 17 Jul 2014 03:05 PM PDT Vision loss is associated with a higher likelihood of not working, researchers report. Also, people who do not work have poorer physical and mental health, are less socially integrated and have lower self-confidence, they say.

Sexual abuse in childhood linked to signs of atherosclerosis in midlife Posted: 17 Jul 2014 03:05 PM PDT Women sexually abused in childhood may show signs of atherosclerosis, an early marker of cardiovascular disease in midlife. Psychosocial factors are important to the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among women in the United States. Awareness of the long-term mental and physical consequences of sexual abuse in childhood needs to be heightened nationally.

Fish oil may benefit alcohol abusers Posted: 17 Jul 2014 03:02 PM PDT Omega-3 fish oil might help protect against alcohol-related neurodamage and the risk of eventual dementia, according to a study. Many human studies have shown that long-term alcohol abuse causes brain damage and increases the risk of dementia. The new study found that in brain cells exposed to high levels of alcohol, a fish oil compound protected against inflammation and neuronal cell death.

New gene discovered that stops spread of deadly cancer Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:45 AM PDT A gene responsible for stopping the movement of cancer from the lungs to other parts of the body has been discovered by researchers, indicating a new way to fight one of the world's deadliest cancers. By identifying the cause of this metastasis -— which often happens quickly in lung cancer and results in a bleak survival rate -— scientists are able to explain why some tumors are more prone to spreading than others. The newly discovered pathway may also help researchers understand and treat the spread of melanoma and cervical cancers.

Preventing foodborne illness naturally: with cinnamon Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:51 AM PDT Cinnamomum cassia oil was shown to be effective as a natural antibacterial agent against several strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, known to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as 'non-O157 STEC'. The study results add to a body of knowledge that will help improve food safety and reduce or eliminate cases of food poisoning and related deaths.

Best anticoagulants after orthopedic procedures depends on type of surgery Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:48 AM PDT Current guidelines do not distinguish between aspirin and more potent blood thinners for protecting against blood clots in patients who undergo major orthopedic operations, leaving the decision up to individual clinicians. A new analysis now provides much-needed information that summarizes existing studies about which medications are best after different types of surgery.

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