ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New mechanism that can lead to blindness discovered
• Boosting heart's natural ability to recover after heart attack
• Treating sleep apnea in cardiac patients reduces hospital readmission
• Study questions 21-day quarantine period for Ebola
• Researchers look to exploit females' natural resistance to infection
• German academies call for consequences from the Ebola virus epidemic
• Researcher adds to evidence linking autism to air pollutants
• Transforming safety net practices into patient-centered medical homes: Progress report
• Decreased length of ICU stay among improved patient outcomes from nurse-led initiatives at Philadelphia hospitals
• Australians not prepared for 'dying with dignity': Report
• Subsidies help breast cancer patients adhere to hormone therapy
• Risk factors for sexual assault identified, including age, alcohol consumption
• Psychiatrist appointments hard to get, even for insured, study shows
• Effects of high-risk Parkinson's mutation are reversible, study in animal model suggests
• New mechanism affecting cell migration found
• Tool enhances social inclusion for people with autism
• Gene variants implicated in ADHD identify attention, language
• Effect of the fall of the Berlin wall: Three hours of life per euro
• Two-faced gene: SIRT6 prevents some cancers but promotes sun-induced skin cancer
• Prostate cancer's penchant for copper may be a fatal flaw
• First report of long-term safety of human embryonic stem cells to treat human disease
• Increase seen in use of emergency departments by children in California, regardless of insurance type
• Obstetric quality of care measures at hospitals: Study indicates need for more
• Energy drinks may pose danger to public health, researchers warn
• Fish oil supplements have little effect on irregular heartbeat
• Corruption of health care delivery system?
• New information about how neurons act could lead to brain disorder advancements
• The neuroscience of 'holding it': Involuntary link in brain between pelvic floor, other muscles
• Potential drug could ease impact of bacterial lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, tests suggest
• Immune cells in liver drive fatty liver disease, liver cancer
• Complementary methodologies for rare cancers: Worth discussing?
• Frontline diagnosis and treatment of infant infections
• Policies on marketing gifts to medical students
• New approaches needed for people with serious mental illnesses in criminal justice system
• Want whiter teeth? Fruit mixture is not the answer
• Pain after surgery greatly decreased in the last 10 years
• Research leads to brain cancer clinical trial
• Common gene variants linked to delayed healing of bone fractures
• One signal means different things to stem cells versus their progeny
• Timing is key for traumatic brain injury treatment
• Slow enteral feeding protocol can reduce instances of death in extreme preterm infants

New mechanism that can lead to blindness discovered Posted: 15 Oct 2014 11:32 AM PDT Scientists report an important scientific breakthrough: that a protein found in the retina plays an essential role in the function and survival of light-sensing cells that are required for vision. These findings could have a significant impact on our understanding of retinal degenerative diseases that cause blindness.

Boosting heart's natural ability to recover after heart attack Posted: 15 Oct 2014 11:28 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that fibroblasts, which normally give rise to scar tissue after a heart attack, can be turned into endothelial cells, which generate blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to the injured regions of the heart, greatly reducing the damage done following heart attack.

Treating sleep apnea in cardiac patients reduces hospital readmission Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:24 AM PDT A study of hospitalized cardiac patients is the first to show that effective treatment with positive airway pressure therapy reduces 30-day hospital readmission rates and emergency department visits in patients with both heart disease and sleep apnea. The results underscore the importance of the 'Stop the Snore' campaign of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project.

Study questions 21-day quarantine period for Ebola Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:23 AM PDT One of the tenets for minimizing the risk of spreading Ebola Virus has been a 21-day quarantine period for individuals who might have been exposed to the virus. But a new study suggests that 21 days might not be enough to completely prevent spread of the virus. Experts say there could be up to a 12 percent chance that someone could be infected even after the 21-day quarantine.

Researchers look to exploit females' natural resistance to infection Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:23 AM PDT Researchers have linked increased resistance to bacterial pneumonia in female mice to an enzyme activated by the female sex hormone estrogen. An international team of scientists has shown that increased resistance to bacterial pneumonia in female mice is linked to the enzyme nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3). They also show that this enzyme is ultimately activated by the release of the female sex hormone estrogen.

German academies call for consequences from the Ebola virus epidemic Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:23 AM PDT The Ebola virus is spreading rapidly and to an unexpected extent. The outbreak does not follow the patterns experienced in the past and the virus shows a new disease dynamic in regions where it has never been recorded before. For this reason, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, acatech -- the German Academy of Science and Engineering, and the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities have presented a statement on the Ebola epidemic.

Researcher adds to evidence linking autism to air pollutants Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:21 AM PDT Pollution's impact on autism rates in North Carolina is similar to results of previous pollution autism studies in California, a new study reports. This report is has added to a growing body of evidence that links autism to air pollutants such as those generated by cars and trucks.

Transforming safety net practices into patient-centered medical homes: Progress report Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:21 AM PDT A recently concluded demonstration project made meaningful progress toward introducing a "patient-centered medical home" approach at "safety net" practices serving vulnerable and underserved populations.

Decreased length of ICU stay among improved patient outcomes from nurse-led initiatives at Philadelphia hospitals Posted: 15 Oct 2014 08:21 AM PDT Recent nurse-led initiatives addressing some of critical care's most pressing challenges resulted in shorter average lengths of stay and other positive patient and fiscal outcomes in seven Philadelphia-area hospitals.

Australians not prepared for 'dying with dignity': Report Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:18 AM PDT The vast majority of Australians do not have a plan allowing them to 'die with dignity,' new research has found. Just 14 per cent of the population has an Advance Directive, or "living will," detailing their end of life treatment and care preferences, according to a new article.

Subsidies help breast cancer patients adhere to hormone therapy Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:18 AM PDT A federal prescription-subsidy program for low-income women on Medicare significantly improved their adherence to hormone therapy to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer after surgery, an investigator reports.

Risk factors for sexual assault identified, including age, alcohol consumption Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:22 AM PDT Risk factors for sexual assault, including young age and alcohol consumption, must be addressed when considering preventative strategies, suggests a new study. Results of this study showed that 66% of the women interviewed were aged 15-24 years old and 75% had met the perpetrator before the sexual assault with nearly 50% reporting that the perpetrator was a current or former boyfriend, family member or someone they considered a friend.

Psychiatrist appointments hard to get, even for insured, study shows Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:22 AM PDT Obtaining access to private outpatient psychiatric care in the Boston, Chicago and Houston metropolitan areas is difficult, even for those with private insurance or those willing to pay out of pocket. Researchers, who posed on the phone as patients seeking appointments with individual psychiatrists, encountered numerous obstacles, including unreturned calls, and met with success only 26 percent of the time.

Effects of high-risk Parkinson's mutation are reversible, study in animal model suggests Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:04 AM PDT Researchers have found vital new evidence on how to target and reverse the effects caused by one of the most common genetic causes of Parkinson's.

New mechanism affecting cell migration found Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:04 AM PDT Cell migration is important for development and physiology of multicellular organisms. During embryonic development individual cells and cell clusters can move over relatively long distances, and cell migration is also essential for wound healing and many immunological processes in adult animals. On the other hand, uncontrolled migration of malignant cells results in cancer invasion of metastasis.

Tool enhances social inclusion for people with autism Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:58 AM PDT A tool designed to assist people with autism spectrum disorders has been developed. It works by adapting written documents into a format that is easier for them to read and understand, researchers report.

Gene variants implicated in ADHD identify attention, language Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:57 AM PDT Are deficits in attention limited to those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or is there a spectrum of attention function in the general population? The answer to this question has implications for psychiatric diagnoses and perhaps for society, broadly. New work suggests that there is a spectrum of attention, hyperactivity/impulsiveness and language function in society, with varying degrees of these impairments associated with clusters of genes linked with the risk for ADHD.

Effect of the fall of the Berlin wall: Three hours of life per euro Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:57 AM PDT Each additional euro eastern Germans received in benefits from pensions and public health insurance after reunification accounted for three additional hours of life expectancy, researchers report. From the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 through the start of the new millennium, life expectancy in eastern Germany increased substantially, they have found.

Two-faced gene: SIRT6 prevents some cancers but promotes sun-induced skin cancer Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:45 AM PDT SIRT6 -— a protein that inhibits the growth of liver and colon cancers -— can promote the development of skin cancers by turning on an enzyme that increases inflammation, proliferation and survival of sun-damaged skin cells. This suggests that SIRT6 could provide a useful target for cancer prevention.

Prostate cancer's penchant for copper may be a fatal flaw Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:45 AM PDT Like discriminating thieves, prostate cancer tumors scavenge and hoard copper that is an essential element in the body. But such avarice may be a fatal weakness, scientists report. Researchers have found a way to kill prostate cancer cells by delivering a trove of copper along with a drug that selectively destroys the diseased cells brimming with the mineral, leaving non-cancer cells healthy.

First report of long-term safety of human embryonic stem cells to treat human disease Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:17 PM PDT The first evidence of the medium-term to long-term safety and tolerability of transplanting human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in humans has been revealed by scientists. hESC transplants used to treat severe vision loss in 18 patients with different forms of macular degeneration appeared safe up to 3 years post-transplant, and the technology restored some sight in more than half of the patients.

Increase seen in use of emergency departments by children in California, regardless of insurance type Posted: 14 Oct 2014 02:07 PM PDT In contrast to previous research that documented decreases or no change in children's rates of emergency department use in the 1990s and the early 2000s, an analysis of ED visits by children, adolescents, and young adults in California by insurance status from 2005-2010 found that rates increased across all insurance groups and the uninsured.

Obstetric quality of care measures at hospitals: Study indicates need for more Posted: 14 Oct 2014 02:07 PM PDT Rates for certain quality indicators and complications for mothers and newborns varied substantially between hospitals and were not correlated with performance measures designed to assess hospital-level obstetric quality of care, according to a study of data on more than 100,000 deliveries and term newborns from New York City hospitals.

Energy drinks may pose danger to public health, researchers warn Posted: 14 Oct 2014 02:07 PM PDT Increased consumption of energy drinks may pose danger to public health, especially among young people, warns a team of researchers. Energy drinks are non-alcoholic beverages that contain caffeine, vitamins, and sometimes other ingredients such as taurine, ginseng, and guarana. They are typically marketed as boosting energy and increasing physical and mental performance.

Fish oil supplements have little effect on irregular heartbeat Posted: 14 Oct 2014 01:04 PM PDT High doses of fish oil supplements, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, do not reduce atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat in which the heart can beat as fast as 150 beats a minute, results from a clinical trial indicate.

Corruption of health care delivery system? Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:26 PM PDT The foundation of evidence-based research has eroded, experts say, and the trend must be reversed so patients and clinicians can make wise shared decisions about their health. Authors of a new report highlight five major problems set against a backdrop of 'obvious corruption.'

New information about how neurons act could lead to brain disorder advancements Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:26 PM PDT Neurons are electrically charged cells, located in the nervous system, that interpret and transmit information using electrical and chemical signals. Now, researchers have determined that individual neurons can react differently to electrical signals at the molecular level and in different ways -- even among neurons of the same type. This variability may be important in discovering underlying problems associated with brain disorders and neural diseases such as epilepsy.

The neuroscience of 'holding it': Involuntary link in brain between pelvic floor, other muscles Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT Wherever you are right now: squeeze your glutes. Feel that? You just also contracted your pelvic floor too, whether you wanted to or not. Scientists have found themselves surprised to discover an involuntary link in the brain between the pelvic floor and other muscles.

Potential drug could ease impact of bacterial lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, tests suggest Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT By screening over 2,000 approved drugs and natural products, scientists have shown that tannic acid may help ease the impact of bacterial lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Tests completed using experimentally modified frog oocytes show that tannic acid counteracts the harmful effect of an enzyme produced by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). However, more research is needed to find out if tannic acid can help treat S. aureus infections in humans.

Immune cells in liver drive fatty liver disease, liver cancer Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT Immune cells that migrate to the liver and interact there with liver tissue cells get activated by metabolic stress (e.g. through lipids of a high fat diet) and drive the development of fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and liver cancer. Scientists made this discovery and thus identified the previously unknown mechanism underlying these serious and widespread diseases.

Complementary methodologies for rare cancers: Worth discussing? Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT Rare Cancers Europe (RCE) is a multi stakeholder initiative promoted by ESMO dedicated to putting rare cancers on the European political agenda. In their consensus document, RCE argue that a higher degree of uncertainty should be accepted for regulatory as well as clinically informed decision-making in rare cancers, to overcome the limitations imposed by small population trials.

Frontline diagnosis and treatment of infant infections Posted: 14 Oct 2014 11:27 AM PDT Trained frontline health workers can identify most young infants with possible bacterial infections in low and middle income countries but also may diagnose infections in many uninfected young infants, according to a new study.

Policies on marketing gifts to medical students Posted: 14 Oct 2014 11:27 AM PDT Scientists have compared the 2011 survey results of a nationwide random sample of first and fourth year US medical students regarding interactions with and gifts from pharmaceutical marketing representatives.

New approaches needed for people with serious mental illnesses in criminal justice system Posted: 14 Oct 2014 09:37 AM PDT Responding to the large number of people with serious mental illnesses in the criminal justice system will require more than mental health services, according to a new report.

Want whiter teeth? Fruit mixture is not the answer Posted: 14 Oct 2014 09:37 AM PDT It may seem like an all-natural way to whiten teeth, but a study shows that a strawberry and baking soda mixture does little beyond cleaning those choppers. The main reason: Strawberries lack the chemicals known to cause deeper, longer lasting teeth whitening, researchers say.

Pain after surgery greatly decreased in the last 10 years Posted: 14 Oct 2014 08:27 AM PDT A new study shows that pain severity among post-surgical patients has decreased by 24 percent since 2003. The study shows vast improvements in the field of pain management for surgical patients.

Research leads to brain cancer clinical trial Posted: 14 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT A discovery that could prolong the life of people living with glioblastoma -- the most aggressive type of brain cancer -- has lead to the opening of a human phase I/II clinical trial as early as Spring 2015, scientists report.

Common gene variants linked to delayed healing of bone fractures Posted: 14 Oct 2014 07:30 AM PDT Slow-healing or non-healing bone fractures in otherwise healthy people may be caused by gene variants that are common in the population, according to researchers.

One signal means different things to stem cells versus their progeny Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:47 AM PDT Two listeners might hear the same message, but understand it differently and take different actions in response. Something similar happens within the hair follicle: Stem cells and their progeny react quite differently to an important group of signaling proteins.

Timing is key for traumatic brain injury treatment Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:47 AM PDT Two potential treatments for traumatic brain injury have been found to be most effective when given at different stages after the injury has occurred. Laboratory studies have confirmed that changes in brain water channels over time play a critical role in traumatic brain injury.

Slow enteral feeding protocol can reduce instances of death in extreme preterm infants Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:51 AM PDT A standardized slow enteral feeding protocol significantly reduces the incidence of necrotizing enterocoltis, or death of intestinal tissue, and death in infants with extremely low birth weight, according to a new study.

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