ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New device reduces scarring in damaged blood vessels
• 11-country survey of older adults: Americans sicker but have quicker access to specialists
• Why some people may be immune to HIV-1: Insight
• Research finds tooth enamel fast-track in humans
• Pluripotent cells created by nuclear transfer can prompt immune reaction, researchers find
• Derivative of vitamin B3 prevents liver cancer in mice
• Cellular origin of fibrosis found
• Signaling molecule crucial to stem cell reprogramming
• Brain training using sounds can help aging brain ignore distractions
• Reprogramming 'support cells' into neurons could repair injured adult brains
• Unwinding the mysteries of the cellular clock
• Gene therapy provides safe, long-term relief for patients with severe hemophilia B
• Unstable child care can affect children by age 4
• Scientists study effects of sunlight to reduce number of nearsighted kids
• Contact lens discomfort linked to changes in lipid layer of tear film
• Identifying onset of local influenza outbreaks: New Tool
• Weight, eating habits in Parkinson's disease
• Hand dryers can spread bacteria in public toilets, research finds
• How do teenage boys perceive their weight?
• Key factor discovered in progression of liver cancer
• Flu virus key machine: First complete view of structure revealed
• What's behind our music tastes? Some common perceptions
• Oat oil preparation makes you feel fuller
• Snus use in Norway has tripled in five years
• With immunotherapy, physicians avoid diabetes complications
• Only half of patients take their medications as prescribed: Are there interventions that will help them?
• Job authority increases depression symptoms in women, decreases them in men
• Fat a culprit in fibrotic lung damage
• New computer model predicts gut metabolites to better understand gastrointestinal disease
• New approach for treating ALS: Re-evaluation of older drugs?
• Bacterial slime: It's what's for dinner
• Bad marriage, broken heart?
• Terrorist attacks decrease fertility levels, says new research
• From architect to social worker: Complex jobs may protect memory and thinking later in life
• Delivery of stem cells into heart muscle after heart attack may enhance cardiac repair and reverse injury
• Unique sense of 'touch' gives a prolific bacterium its ability to infect anything
• New view of mouse genome finds many similarities, striking differences with human genome
• Natural gut viruses join bacterial cousins in maintaining health and fighting infections
• Why we need to fund newer blood-thinning agents to prevent strokes
• From dried cod to tissue sample preservation

New device reduces scarring in damaged blood vessels Posted: 20 Nov 2014 11:18 AM PST A new device contains a form of vitamin A that controls inflammatory responses, preventing scar tissue formation and promoting wound healing. The soft, porous, and thin elastic material contains an acid form of vitamin A, called a retinoid, which is produced by the body to help cells develop and stay healthy. Synthetic retinoids have been formulated and traditionally used to treat acne and some types of cancer.

11-country survey of older adults: Americans sicker but have quicker access to specialists Posted: 20 Nov 2014 11:17 AM PST A survey of older adults in eleven countries found that Americans were sicker than their counterparts abroad, with 68 percent living with two or more chronic conditions and 53 percent taking four or more medications. More Americans, 19 percent, reported cost-related care expenses than residents in other countries -- whereas 83 percent of US respondents had treatment plans they could carry out in their daily lives, one of the highest rates across the surveyed countries.

Why some people may be immune to HIV-1: Insight Posted: 20 Nov 2014 11:17 AM PST Doctors have long been mystified as to why HIV-1 rapidly sickens some individuals, while in others the virus has difficulties gaining a foothold. Now, a study of genetic variation in HIV-1 and in the cells it infects has uncovered a chink in HIV-1's armor that may, at least in part, explain the puzzling difference -- and potentially open the door to new treatments.

Research finds tooth enamel fast-track in humans Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST Researchers have discovered a link between prenatal enamel growth rates in teeth and weaning in human babies. The research found that incisor teeth grow quickly in the early stages of the second trimester of a baby's development, while molars grow at a slower rate in the third trimester. This is so incisors are ready to erupt after birth, at approximately six months of age, when a baby makes the transition from breast-feeding to weaning.

Pluripotent cells created by nuclear transfer can prompt immune reaction, researchers find Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST Mouse cells and tissues created through nuclear transfer can be rejected by the body because of a previously unknown immune response to the cell's mitochondria, according to a study in mice.

Derivative of vitamin B3 prevents liver cancer in mice Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST The first mouse model that faithfully reproduces the steps of human HCC development has been developed by researchers. The results of the study indicate that diets rich in nicotinamide riboside, a derivative of vitamin B3, protect these mice from developing HCC in its most initial stage, when genotoxic stress is damaging cellular DNA. They also show a curative effect of the diet in those mice that had previously developed the disease.

Cellular origin of fibrosis found Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:31 AM PST The cellular origin of the tissue scarring caused by organ damage associated with diabetes, lung disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and other conditions has been found by researchers. The buildup of scar tissue is known as fibrosis.

Signaling molecule crucial to stem cell reprogramming Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:31 AM PST While investigating a rare genetic disorder, researchers have discovered that a ubiquitous signaling molecule is crucial to cellular reprogramming, a finding with significant implications for stem cell-based regenerative medicine, wound repair therapies and potential cancer treatments.

Brain training using sounds can help aging brain ignore distractions Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:31 AM PST As we age, we have an increasingly harder time ignoring distractions. But new research reveals that by learning to make discriminations of a sound amidst progressively more disruptive distractions, we can diminish our distractibility. A similar strategy might also help children with attention deficits or individuals with other mental challenges.

Reprogramming 'support cells' into neurons could repair injured adult brains Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:31 AM PST The cerebral cortex lacks the ability to replace neurons that die as a result of Alzheimer's, stroke, and other devastating diseases. A new study shows that a Sox2 protein, alone or in combination with another protein, Ascl1, can cause nonneuronal cells, called NG2 glia, to turn into neurons in the injured cerebral cortex of adult mice. The findings reveal that NG2 glia represent a promising target for neuronal cell replacement strategies to treat brain injury.

Unwinding the mysteries of the cellular clock Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:30 AM PST Underlying circadian rhythms is a clock built of transcription factors that control the oscillation of genes, serving as the wheels and springs of the clock. But, how does a single clock keep time in multiple phases at once? A genome-wide survey found that circadian genes and regulatory elements called enhancers oscillate daily in phase with nearby genes – both the enhancer and gene activity peak at the same time each day.

Gene therapy provides safe, long-term relief for patients with severe hemophilia B Posted: 20 Nov 2014 08:35 AM PST Gene therapy has transformed life for men with a severe form of hemophilia B by providing a safe, reliable source of the blood clotting protein Factor IX that has allowed some to adopt a more active lifestyle, researchers report.

Unstable child care can affect children by age 4 Posted: 20 Nov 2014 08:34 AM PST Disruptions in child care negatively affect children's social development as early as age 4. However, the study also shows that the effects of child care instability are not unduly large -- and some types of instability appear to have no negative impact on children.

Scientists study effects of sunlight to reduce number of nearsighted kids Posted: 20 Nov 2014 08:23 AM PST Kids who spend more time outside are less likely to need glasses for nearsightedness – but scientists don't know why. Researchers are now looking more closely at physical changes in the eye influenced by outdoor light exposure in the hopes of reducing cases of myopia, which affects one-third of the American population.

Contact lens discomfort linked to changes in lipid layer of tear film Posted: 20 Nov 2014 08:22 AM PST Changes in the lipid layer of the eyes' natural tear film may contribute to the common problem of contact lens discomfort.

Identifying onset of local influenza outbreaks: New Tool Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:23 AM PST Hospital epidemiologists and others responsible for public health decisions do not declare the start of flu season lightly. All the extra precautions cost time and money, so they do not want to declare flu season too early. For hospitals, there is a strong incentive to define a really clear period as flu season. Now, just in time for flu season, researchers have devised a simple yet accurate method for hospitals and public health departments to determine the onset of elevated influenza activity at the community level.

Weight, eating habits in Parkinson's disease Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:21 AM PST A review of the scientific literature on Parkinson's disease shows that even the non-motor symptoms associated with the disease can contribute to the changes in body weight seen in patients (including those subjected to deep brain stimulation). Among the factors affecting eating habits and body weight there could be, for example, an impaired ability to derive pleasure from food and changes in motivation. These are important findings which can help to understand how to reduce these effects of Parkinson's that exacerbate an already negative clinical situation.

Hand dryers can spread bacteria in public toilets, research finds Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:21 AM PST Modern hand dryers are much worse than paper towels when it comes to spreading germs, according to new research. Airborne germ counts were 27 times higher around jet air dryers in comparison with the air around paper towel dispensers.

How do teenage boys perceive their weight? Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:21 AM PST Almost one third of male adolescents inaccurately perceive their weight. This can influence their eating habits and, consequently, their health, according to a study conducted with 600 teenage boys from Barcelona and surrounding areas. Up to 25% of the boys reported trying to lose or control their weight in the past year.

Key factor discovered in progression of liver cancer Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:21 AM PST One of the most aggressive and common forms of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma. A team of researchers has now identified the crucial key factor involved in the development and progression of this malignant type of tumour: the AXL receptor supports cancer-promoting processes and slows down cancer-inhibiting factors. This finding could make a targeted therapeutic approach possible in future.

Flu virus key machine: First complete view of structure revealed Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:21 AM PST Scientists looking to understand – and potentially thwart – the influenza virus now have a much more encompassing view, thanks to the first complete structure of one of the flu virus' key machines. Knowing the structure allows researchers to finally understand how the machine works as a whole, and could prove instrumental in designing new drugs to treat serious flu infections and combat flu pandemics.

What's behind our music tastes? Some common perceptions Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:19 AM PST Metal heads, jazz purists and folkies may have more in common musically than you imagined. A new study sheds light on the shared ways in which humans perceive music.

Oat oil preparation makes you feel fuller Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:19 AM PST Oats contain more fat than other cereals, and oat oil has a unique composition. Researchers have now outlined why oat oil supplement makes you feel fuller.

Snus use in Norway has tripled in five years Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:19 AM PST The increase in Scandinavian snus consumption in Norway is highest among young people, according to a new report. Scandinavian snus is a smokeless, ground tobacco product that is held between the lip and gum. It is sold as a loose product or as portions supplied in small pouches. The sale of snus is illegal in the European Union, but some countries are exempt.

With immunotherapy, physicians avoid diabetes complications Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:19 AM PST What is the difference between the treatment of diabetes under an immune scheme compared to the traditional one? The patient gets a diagnosis and receives attention, but is also checked for a systemic immune problem and thereby prevent possible consequences as diabetic foot, glaucoma, nephropathy and retinopathy, experts say.

Only half of patients take their medications as prescribed: Are there interventions that will help them? Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:19 AM PST The cost of patients not taking their medications as prescribed can be substantial in terms of their health. Although a large amount of research evidence has tried to address this problem, there are no well-established approaches to help them.

Job authority increases depression symptoms in women, decreases them in men Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:17 AM PST Having job authority increases symptoms of depression among women, but decreases them among men, a new study has found.

Fat a culprit in fibrotic lung damage Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:17 AM PST Researchers debate whether the lung tissue in pulmonary fibrosis is directly damaged, or whether immune cells initiate the scarring process – an important distinction when trying to find new ways to battle the disease. Now research shows that both processes may be important, and suggest a new direction for developing novel therapies.

New computer model predicts gut metabolites to better understand gastrointestinal disease Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:17 AM PST The first research to use computational modeling to predict and identify the metabolic products of gastrointestinal (GI) tract microorganisms has been published by researchers. Understanding these metabolic products, or metabolites, could influence how clinicians diagnose and treat GI diseases, as well as many other metabolic and neurological diseases increasingly associated with compromised GI function.

New approach for treating ALS: Re-evaluation of older drugs? Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:17 AM PST Blocking molecules involved in ALS-drug resistance may improve how well ALS therapeutics work, suggesting that re-evaluation of drugs that appeared to have failed might be appropriate.

Bacterial slime: It's what's for dinner Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:17 AM PST If natural or humanmade disaster strikes, causing global crop failures, the world won't starve -- providing they are willing to eat bacterial slime and bugs. "People have been doing catastrophic risk research for a while. But most of what's been done is dark, apocalyptic and dismal. It hasn't provided any real solutions," says the author of a new book that provides a more optimistic outlook.

Bad marriage, broken heart? Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:48 PM PST Older couples in a bad marriage -- particularly female spouses -- have a higher risk for heart disease than those in a good marriage, finds the first nationally representative study of its kind.

Terrorist attacks decrease fertility levels, says new research Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:48 PM PST On average, terrorist attacks decrease fertility, reducing both the expected number of children a woman has over her lifetime and the number of live births occurring during each year, a new study has found.

From architect to social worker: Complex jobs may protect memory and thinking later in life Posted: 19 Nov 2014 02:47 PM PST People whose jobs require more complex work with other people, such as social workers and lawyers, or with data, like architects or graphic designers, may end up having longer-lasting memory and thinking abilities compared to people who do less complex work, according to new research.

Delivery of stem cells into heart muscle after heart attack may enhance cardiac repair and reverse injury Posted: 19 Nov 2014 02:47 PM PST Delivering stem cell factor directly into damaged heart muscle after a heart attack may help repair and regenerate injured tissue. A novel SCF gene transfer delivery system induced the recruitment and expansion of adult c-Kit positive (cKit+) cardiac stem cells to injury sites that reversed heart attack damage in a pre-clinical model. In addition, the gene therapy improved cardiac function, decreased heart muscle cell death, increased regeneration of heart tissue blood vessels, and reduced the formation of heart tissue scarring.

Unique sense of 'touch' gives a prolific bacterium its ability to infect anything Posted: 19 Nov 2014 12:17 PM PST One of the world's most prolific bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, manages to afflict humans, animals and even plants by way of a mechanism not before seen in any infectious microorganism -- a sense of touch.

New view of mouse genome finds many similarities, striking differences with human genome Posted: 19 Nov 2014 10:27 AM PST Looking across the genomes of humans and mice, scientists have found that, in general, the systems that are used to control gene activity in both species have many similarities, along with crucial differences. The results may offer insights into gene regulation and other systems important to mammalian biology, and provide new information to determine when the mouse is an appropriate model to study human biology and disease. They may also help explain its limitations.

Natural gut viruses join bacterial cousins in maintaining health and fighting infections Posted: 19 Nov 2014 10:24 AM PST Microbiologists say they have what may be the first strong evidence that the natural presence of viruses in the gut — or what they call the 'virome' — plays a health-maintenance and infection-fighting role similar to that of the intestinal bacteria that dwell there and make up the "microbiome."

Why we need to fund newer blood-thinning agents to prevent strokes Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:45 AM PST Care gaps are emerging due to disharmony between healthcare reimbursement policies and evidence-based clinical guideline recommendations, cautions a group of Canadian physicians. They use the example of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) to make a case for engaging with policy-makers to address the growing barriers to patients' access to optimal care.

From dried cod to tissue sample preservation Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:45 AM PST Could human tissue samples be dried for storage, instead of being frozen? Researchers are looking at the salt cod industry for a potential tissue sample drying technology that could save money without sacrificing tissue quality.

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