ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Sorting cells with sound waves
• What can 14th century Venice teach us about Ebola, other emerging threats?
• Glucose meter of a different color provides continuous monitoring
• Challenges ahead in improving child health by increasing access to sanitation in India
• Expanding age of eligibility for measles vaccination could increase childhood survival in Africa
• 100 recent fetal surgeries for spina bifida performed at one American hospital
• Surgery to repair hip fracture reduces lifetime health care costs by more than $65,000 per patient
• New statin guidelines an improvement, study shows
• Young driver's gender linked to crash type, injury severity
• Brain benefits from weight loss following bariatric surgery
• Change in tube feeding practice improves nutrition for ICU patients, audit finds
• Trash burning worldwide significantly worsens air pollution
• Lack of naturally occuring protein linked to dementia
• Introducing the multi-tasking nanoparticle
• Link between prenatal antidepressant exposure, autism risk called into question
• Fibre-based satiety ingredient shown to make you eat less
• Education, dog-friendly neighborhoods could tackle obesity
• Key to speed? Elite sprinters unlike other athletes, deliver forceful punch to ground
• Disability, deafness often go hand-in-hand
• Risk of young people driving drunk increases if their parents drink
• New implanted sensor could reduce heart failure admissions
• Recommendations for prostate cancer active surveillance
• Health care workers in poor nations lack gear needed to protect from hiv and other bloodborne infections like ebola
• Eye implant could lead to better glaucoma treatments
• Cancer leaves common fingerprint on DNA
• RNA sequence could help doctors to tailor unique prostate cancer treatment programs
• Flu outbreak provides rare study material
• Common European MRSA originated in Africa, study concludes
• U.S. has seen widespread adoption of robot-assisted cancer surgery to remove the prostate
• Wii Balance Board induces changes in brains of people with multiple sclerosis
• New guidance on antithrombotic use in AF patients with ACS having PCI
• Student designs soccer video game adapted to people with cerebral palsy
• New tool to probe cancer's molecular make-up
• Symptoms after breast cancer surgery need to be treated on an individual basis
• Discovery explains how receptor regulates fat accumulation in obesity
• Patients with eating disorders have increased risk of autoimmune diseases
• Methadone treatment suppresses testosterone in opioid addicts
• Ever growing number of women with gestational diabetes suggests future will be filled with children with early diabetes

Sorting cells with sound waves Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 PM PDT Researchers have devised a new way to separate cells by exposing them to sound waves as they flow through a tiny channel. Their device, about the size of a dime, could be used to detect the extremely rare tumor cells that circulate in cancer patients' blood, helping doctors predict whether a tumor is going to spread.

What can 14th century Venice teach us about Ebola, other emerging threats? Posted: 26 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT The way in which the Italian city of Venice dealt with the outbreak of the plague in the 14th century holds lessons on how to even mitigate the consequences of today's emerging threats, like climate change, terrorism, and highly infectious or drug-resistant diseases, says one researcher.

Glucose meter of a different color provides continuous monitoring Posted: 26 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT Engineers are bringing a touch of color to glucose monitoring. The researchers developed a new continuous glucose monitoring material that changes color as glucose levels fluctuate, and the wavelength shift is so precise that doctors and patients may be able to use it for automatic insulin dosing -- something not possible using current point measurements like test strips.

Challenges ahead in improving child health by increasing access to sanitation in India Posted: 26 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT A study on large-scale rural sanitation programs in India highlights challenges in achieving sufficient access to latrines and reduction in open defecation to yield significant health benefits for young children.

Expanding age of eligibility for measles vaccination could increase childhood survival in Africa Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:25 AM PDT Expanding the age of eligibility for measles vaccination from 12 to 15 months could have potentially large effects on coverage in Africa, according to a new report. If combined with improvements to the vaccination process itself, such a change could help the country inch closer to the national coverage levels required for measles eradication.

100 recent fetal surgeries for spina bifida performed at one American hospital Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:25 AM PDT Reporting on 100 recent cases of fetal surgery for spina bifida, specialists at a premier fetal surgery program achieved results similar to those published three years previously in a landmark clinical trial that established a new standard of care for prenatal repair of this birth defect.

Surgery to repair hip fracture reduces lifetime health care costs by more than $65,000 per patient Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:25 AM PDT Each year, more than 300,000 Americans, primarily adults over age 65, sustain a hip fracture, a debilitating injury that can diminish life quality and expectancy. A new study found that average lifetime societal benefits in the U.S. reduced the direct medical costs of hip fracture surgery by $65,000 to $68,000 per patient (in 2009 dollars), and that total, lifetime societal savings exceeded $16 billion for older patients.

New statin guidelines an improvement, study shows Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:24 AM PDT New national guidelines can improve the way statin drugs are prescribed to patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, a study has found. The research also showed the new guidelines produce only a modest increase in the number of patients being given the drugs.

Young driver's gender linked to crash type, injury severity Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:12 AM PDT Gender differences do exist in young drivers when it comes to safety, a study finds. Gender is often related to what type of severe or fatal crash a young male or young female driver will be involved in. Researchers hope that the findings contribute to an improved understanding of crashes as well as help develop educational materials targeted more toward young drivers and each gender.

Brain benefits from weight loss following bariatric surgery Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:11 AM PDT Weight loss surgery can curb alterations in brain activity associated with obesity and improve cognitive function involved in planning, strategizing and organizing, according to a new study. Bariatric surgery is used to help people who are dangerously obese lose weight. Bariatric surgery procedures are designed to restrict the amount of food you can eat before you feel full by reducing the stomach's size or limit the absorption of nutrients by removing part of the small intestine from the path food takes through the digestive tract.

Change in tube feeding practice improves nutrition for ICU patients, audit finds Posted: 26 Aug 2014 09:11 AM PDT While the importance of enteral nutrition, or feeding patients through a tube, in an intensive care unit is well understood, underfeeding is still common. A practice of a certain amount of feeding per hour can be interrupted by tests, procedures, or emergencies. Changing to a volume-based system, which calls for a certain nutrition volume per day, could reduce underfeeding.

Trash burning worldwide significantly worsens air pollution Posted: 26 Aug 2014 09:10 AM PDT Unregulated trash burning around the globe is pumping far more pollution into the atmosphere than shown by official records. A new study estimates that more than 40 percent of the world's garbage is burned in such fires, with emissions that can substantially affect human health and climate.

Lack of naturally occuring protein linked to dementia Posted: 26 Aug 2014 08:29 AM PDT The first evidence that the lack of a naturally occurring protein is linked to early signs of dementia has been provided by researchers. An absence of MK2/3, in spite of the brain cells (neurons) having significant structural abnormalities, did not prevent memories being formed, but did prevent these memories from being altered.

Introducing the multi-tasking nanoparticle Posted: 26 Aug 2014 08:26 AM PDT Dynamic nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed that could provide an arsenal of applications to diagnose and treat cancer. Built on an easy-to-make polymer, these particles can be used as contrast agents to light up tumors for MRI and PET scans or deliver chemo and other therapies to destroy tumors. In addition, the particles are biocompatible and have shown no toxicity.

Link between prenatal antidepressant exposure, autism risk called into question Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT Previous studies that have suggested an increased risk of autism among children of women who took antidepressants during pregnancy may actually reflect the known increased risk associated with severe maternal depression. Now researchers have called that into question with further studies -- and complex answers.

Fibre-based satiety ingredient shown to make you eat less Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT The effectiveness of a fibre-based dietary ingredient that makes people feel less hungry and consume less food has been demonstrated by a team of scientists. "What is notable is this product, given with breakfast, produced effects on appetite, which were apparent across the day. This is important when consumers are seeking help controlling they hunger across the day," one researcher remarked.

Education, dog-friendly neighborhoods could tackle obesity Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT Investing in dog owner education and facilities as a strategy to target physical inactivity and problems such as obesity in both people and their pets. It is estimated that 40% of dog owners don't take their dogs for a walk. In the UK, almost a quarter of households own a dog, but less than half of adults meet the recommended level of 150 minutes a week of physical activity.

Key to speed? Elite sprinters unlike other athletes, deliver forceful punch to ground Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT The world's fastest sprinters have a distinctive ability unlike other runners to attack the ground and attain faster speeds, according to new research. The new findings indicate that sprinters use a combined limb motion and foot-strike mechanism that enhances speed by elevating foot-ground impact forces. "The sprinters we tested all used the same mechanism for maximizing force application and sprinting performance," said the study's lead author.

Disability, deafness often go hand-in-hand Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:07 AM PDT At least forty per cent of UK people with learning disabilities are suffering from hearing loss, but new research shows they are unlikely to be diagnosed. To research hearing loss in people with learning disabilities, one expert focuses on the current issues people with learning disabilities (PWLD) are facing and why they are left undiagnosed in the long-term.

Risk of young people driving drunk increases if their parents drink Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:07 AM PDT If parents consume alcohol, it is more likely that their children will drive under its influence. This is one of the conclusions of a new study analyzing the data of more than 30,000 students and their relationship with drinking and driving.

New implanted sensor could reduce heart failure admissions Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:06 AM PDT Unexpected trips to the hospital are inconvenient and worrisome for anyone, but for congestive heart failure sufferers, they can be all too frequent. Cardiologists can now implant a new tiny, wireless monitoring sensor to help doctors and patients manage heart failure while eliminating the need for frequent surprise hospital visits.

Recommendations for prostate cancer active surveillance Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:06 AM PDT Active surveillance offers low-risk prostate cancer patients a means to avoid the potentially harmful side effects from treatment. Pathologists help determine patient eligibility for active surveillance and today a multi-specialty team published their recommendations for making such determinations in a special on-line posting from the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine.

Health care workers in poor nations lack gear needed to protect from hiv and other bloodborne infections like ebola Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:06 AM PDT Health care workers in some of the world's poorest countries lack basic equipment to shield them from HIV and other bloodborne infections during surgical and other procedures, new research suggests. The findings underscore the lack of adequate protective supplies in nations at the center of the current Ebola outbreak.

Eye implant could lead to better glaucoma treatments Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Lowering internal eye pressure is currently the only way to treat glaucoma. A tiny eye implant recently developed could pair with a smartphone to improve the way doctors measure and lower a patient's eye pressure. Daily or hourly measurements of eye pressure could help doctors tailor more effective treatment plans.

Cancer leaves common fingerprint on DNA Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Regardless of their stage or type, cancers appear to share a telltale signature of widespread changes to the so-called epigenome, according to a team of researchers. In a study, the investigators say they have found widespread and distinctive changes in a broad variety of cancers to chemical marks known as methyl groups attached to DNA, which help govern whether genes are turned 'on' or 'off.'

RNA sequence could help doctors to tailor unique prostate cancer treatment programs Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Sequencing RNA, not just DNA, could help doctors predict how prostate cancer tumors will respond to treatment, according to research. Because a tumor's RNA shows the real time changes a treatment is causing, the authors think this could be a useful tool to aid diagnosis and predict which treatment will most benefit individual cancer patients.

Flu outbreak provides rare study material Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Five years ago this month, one of the first U.S. outbreaks of the H1N1 virus swept through the Washington State University campus, striking some 2,000 people. A university math and biology professor has used a trove of data gathered at the time to gain insight into how only a few infected people could launch the virus's rapid spread across the university community.

Common European MRSA originated in Africa, study concludes Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT The predominant strain of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infecting people in Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa derived from a single sub-Saharan ancestor, a team of international researchers have reported.

U.S. has seen widespread adoption of robot-assisted cancer surgery to remove the prostate Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT The US has experienced widespread adoption of robot-assisted prostate removal surgery to treat prostate cancer in recent years, a new study reveals. The study also found that while such surgeries are more expensive than traditional surgeries, their costs are decreasing over time.

Wii Balance Board induces changes in brains of people with multiple sclerosis Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT A balance board accessory for a popular video game console can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) reduce their risk of accidental falls, according to new research. Magnetic resonance imaging scans showed that use of the Nintendo Wii Balance Board system appears to induce favorable changes in brain connections associated with balance and movement.

New guidance on antithrombotic use in AF patients with ACS having PCI Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:58 AM PDT New guidance on antithrombotic use in AF patients with ACS having PCI has been published today. "The document published today provides very focused, clear and comprehensive recommendations that are based on the very latest evidence on how best to manage this complex group of patients," one expert said.

Student designs soccer video game adapted to people with cerebral palsy Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:58 AM PDT A soccer game adapted for people with cerebral palsy has been designed that is operated with a foot switch, a push rod head switch and a hand switch. A new tool allows any player to have equal access with different physical conditions.

New tool to probe cancer's molecular make-up Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:58 AM PDT Scientists have shown how to better identify and measure vital molecules that control cell behavior – paving the way for improved tools for diagnosis, prediction and monitoring of cancer. The study's leader said: "Protein kinases regulate how cells communicate. When these molecules are deregulated it corresponds to cells "hearing voices" with a resulting change in their behavior. Doctors need a way to spot changes in kinase levels in individual tumors so they can see how they respond to treatments and match patients to the treatment that works best for them."

Symptoms after breast cancer surgery need to be treated on an individual basis Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 AM PDT For those affected, breast cancer is a dramatic diagnosis. Patients often have to endure chemotherapy and surgery, which, depending on the individual scenario, may mean breast conserving surgery or breast removal—mastectomy. In the aftermath, many women experience symptoms such as pain, fatigue/exhaustion, or sleep disturbances. However, the symptoms are highly individual, researchers state.

Discovery explains how receptor regulates fat accumulation in obesity Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 AM PDT The sensitivity of fat cells to signals that increase the breakdown of fat is linked to the receptor ALK7, according to a study. The discovery suggests that ALK7 might be an interesting target for future strategies to treat obesity.

Patients with eating disorders have increased risk of autoimmune diseases Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 AM PDT An association between eating disorders and several autoimmune diseases has been observed in people with different genetic backgrounds. These findings support the link between immune-mediated mechanisms and development of eating disorders.

Methadone treatment suppresses testosterone in opioid addicts Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:55 AM PDT Treatment for opioid addiction tampers with the testosterone levels of male but not female opioid users, a study reveals. Low testosterone in men has been associated with poor quality of life as well as erectile dysfunction, fatigue, and mood disturbances.

Ever growing number of women with gestational diabetes suggests future will be filled with children with early diabetes Posted: 25 Aug 2014 03:57 PM PDT Children exposed to gestational diabetes in the wombs of their mothers are themselves around six times more likely to develop diabetes or prediabetes than children not exposed, research shows. With the increase in gestational diabetes (GDM), there is a growing need to understand the effects of glucose exposure on the newborn in the womb, at birth and later in life.

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