ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Reasons for ibrutinib therapy discontinuation in CLL
• Crohn's disease not exempt from racial disparities
• Hospitals participating in ACS NSQIP significantly improve surgical outcomes over time
• New compounds protect nervous system from the structural damage characteristic of multiple sclerosis
• Reviving drugs with anti-stroke potential, minus side effects
• Drug research, development more efficient than expected
• Enhancing studies on a possible blood biomarker for traumatic brain injury
• Physician-industry conflict of interest issue from MS patient perspective
• Growth signal can influence cancer cells' vulnerability to drugs, study suggests
• Anderson algorithm increases surgical success with advanced ovarian cancer
• Aggressive boys tend to develop into physically stronger teens
• Study challenges theory on unconscious memory system in the brain
• Zombie outbreak? Statistical mechanics reveals the ideal hideout; and informs real disease modeling
• Hiv controls its activity independent of host cells
• High stress for new mothers increases secondhand smoke risk for infants
• Breakthrough in understanding how cancer cells metastasize
• New tool provides maps of protein interactions for 2,800 diseases
• Untangling DNA with a droplet of water, a pipet and a polymer
• New breast cancer test links immune 'hotspots' to better survival
• Feast-and-famine diet could help extend life, study suggests
• Transient details of HIV genome packaging captured
• Neurons controlling appetite made from skin cells
• Left or right? The brain knows before you move
• Urine test could lead to better treatment of bladder cancer
• Global health experts call into question sub-Saharan cancer data
• New ultrasensitive test for peanut allergies
• Suicide rates rising for older US adults
• Experts warn of stem cell underuse as transplants reach one million worldwide
• DNA evidence shows surprise cultural connections between Britain and Europe 8,000 years ago
• Quality control for adult stem cell treatment
• Antibiotic resistant salad: Resistant Listeria monocytogenes not as widespread as thought
• New approach to assessing effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs
• Synthetic biology breakthrough leads to cheaper statin production
• Dying in front of the camera: What are the impacts?
• World's best cross-country skiers pole to victory
• Cardiac and respiratory function supported by abdominal muscles in muscular dystrophy
• Shake it off? Not so easy for people with depression, new brain research suggests
• Women veterans younger, more depressed when referred for heart test
• Better insurance access leads to more hip, knee replacements among minorities

Reasons for ibrutinib therapy discontinuation in CLL Posted: 27 Feb 2015 03:13 PM PST About 10 percent of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia discontinued therapy with the Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug ibrutinib because of disease progression during clinical trials, according to a new study.

Crohn's disease not exempt from racial disparities Posted: 27 Feb 2015 03:13 PM PST Significant differences were found in hospital re-admissions, medication usage, and both medical and surgical complications of children with Crohn's disease related to race. In the study, black children had a 1.5 times higher frequency of hospital re-admissions because of Crohn's disease compared to white children.

Hospitals participating in ACS NSQIP significantly improve surgical outcomes over time Posted: 27 Feb 2015 03:13 PM PST The majority of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project improve surgical outcomes over time, and improvement continues with each year that hospitals participate in the program, according to a new study.

New compounds protect nervous system from the structural damage characteristic of multiple sclerosis Posted: 27 Feb 2015 03:10 PM PST A newly characterized group of pharmacological compounds block both the inflammation and nerve cell damage seen in mouse models of multiple sclerosis, according to a study. Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the brain and spinal cord, where for unknown reasons, the body's immune system begins an inflammatory attack against myelin, the protective nerve coating that surrounds nerve fibers. Once myelin is stripped from these fibers, the nerve cells become highly susceptible to damage, which is believed to underlie their destruction, leading to the steady clinical decline seen in progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.

Reviving drugs with anti-stroke potential, minus side effects Posted: 27 Feb 2015 12:48 PM PST Scientists have found NMDA receptor antagonists that can limit damage to the brain in animal models of stroke, apparently without the pronounced side effects seen with similar drugs. Now researchers have found a potential path around this obstacle, they report.

Drug research, development more efficient than expected Posted: 27 Feb 2015 10:10 AM PST Despite ever increasing regulation in drug approval and the rising costs of research, drug research and development remains unexpectedly efficient, a new shows. To investigate the efficiency in the development of new drugs, the researchers analyzed a data set consisting of new drugs approved by the FDA. They looked at efficiency indicators that could potentially positively influence the approval of new drugs.

Enhancing studies on a possible blood biomarker for traumatic brain injury Posted: 27 Feb 2015 10:09 AM PST New technology could help advance blood biomarker capabilities for improved diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). An estimated 1.7 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury each year, and an estimated 5.3 million individuals -- approximately two percent of the U.S. population -- are living with disability as a result of TBI. Traumatic brain injuries can occur from even the slightest bump or blow to the head.

Physician-industry conflict of interest issue from MS patient perspective Posted: 27 Feb 2015 10:09 AM PST A new study explores what multiple sclerosis patients know, or want to know, about their physician's financial relationship with the pharmaceutical company sponsoring clinical trials.

Growth signal can influence cancer cells' vulnerability to drugs, study suggests Posted: 27 Feb 2015 09:19 AM PST In theory, a tumor is an army of clones, made up of many copies of the original cancerous cell. But tumor cells don't always act like duplicates, and their unpredictable behavior can create problems for treatment. For while some cells within a tumor succumb to anti-cancer drugs, others may survive to bring the cancer back to life once therapy has ended.

Anderson algorithm increases surgical success with advanced ovarian cancer Posted: 27 Feb 2015 09:19 AM PST A surgical algorithm developed and implemented by ovarian cancer specialists dramatically increases the frequency of complete removal of all visible tumor – a milestone strongly tied to improved survival. The algorithm is a framework for a personalized surgical approach that allows surgeons to be "much smarter about whom we operate on up front, providing a more individualized approach to surgery that's led to better results for our patients," said one clinician.

Aggressive boys tend to develop into physically stronger teens Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST Boys who show aggressive tendencies develop greater physical strength as teenagers than boys who are not aggressive, according to new research. Research has suggested a link between male upper-body strength and aggressive tendencies, but the mechanisms that account for the link are not well understood.

Study challenges theory on unconscious memory system in the brain Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST A long-accepted scientific theory about the role the hippocampus plays in our unconscious memory is being challenged by new research. For decades, scientists have theorized that this part of the brain is not involved in processing unconscious memory, the type that allows us to do things like button a shirt without having to think about it.

Zombie outbreak? Statistical mechanics reveals the ideal hideout; and informs real disease modeling Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST A team researchers focusing on a fictional zombie outbreak as an approach to disease modeling suggests heading for the hills, in the Rockies, to save your brains from the undead.

Hiv controls its activity independent of host cells Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST A major hurdle to curing people of HIV infection is the way the virus hides in a reservoir composed primarily of dormant immune cells. It is generally believed that HIV does not replicate in these cells because the virus depends on active cellular machinery to do so. Now, two new papers propose that the virus itself -- not cells -- controls whether HIV is replicating, and that periods of latency paradoxically give the virus a survival advantage.

High stress for new mothers increases secondhand smoke risk for infants Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST Mothers with a high level of prenatal social stressors -- including possibly less control over their own housing situation or economic distress -- had 2.5 times higher odds to have only a partial or no restriction on smoking in their home than those with no stressors, which increases secondhand smoke risk, a study has found.

Breakthrough in understanding how cancer cells metastasize Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:26 AM PST A protein commonly found in human cells could be an important switch that activates cancer cell metastasis, according to a new study. The finding focuses attention on a biological mechanism that until now was largely overlooked. The discovery of the protein's effect significantly expands our understanding of epithelial cancers such as breast and lung cancer.

New tool provides maps of protein interactions for 2,800 diseases Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:26 AM PST A new tool allows researchers to explore how alterations in more than 2,000 proteins affect the diverse biological functions in which these molecules are involved. The tool may help gain a more global view of the causes of tumor development.

Untangling DNA with a droplet of water, a pipet and a polymer Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:26 AM PST Researchers have long sought an efficient way to untangle DNA to study its structure -- neatly unraveled and straightened out -- under a microscope. Now, researchers have devised a simple and effective solution: they inject genetic material into a droplet of water and use a pipet tip to drag it over a glass plate covered with a sticky polymer.

New breast cancer test links immune 'hotspots' to better survival Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:26 AM PST Scientists have developed a new test that can predict the survival chances of women with breast cancer by analyzing images of 'hotspots' where there has been a fierce immune reaction to a tumor. Researchers used statistical software previously used in criminology studies of crime hotspots to track the extent to which the immune system was homing in and attacking breast cancer cells.

Feast-and-famine diet could help extend life, study suggests Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:25 AM PST Think of it as interval training for the dinner table. Fasting has been shown in mice to extend lifespan and to improve age-related diseases. But fasting every day, which could entail skipping meals or simply reducing overall caloric intake, can be hard to maintain. In a new study, researchers looked at intermittent fasting. They measured participants' changes in weight, blood pressure, heart rate, glucose levels, cholesterol, markers of inflammation and genes involved in protective cell responses over 10 weeks. They found that intermittent fasting caused a slight increase to SIRT 3, a well-known gene that promotes longevity and is involved in protective cell responses.

Transient details of HIV genome packaging captured Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:25 AM PST Once HIV-1 has hijacked a host cell to make copies of its own RNA genome and viral proteins, it must assemble these components into new virus particles. The orchestration of this intricate assembly process falls to a viral protein known as Gag. For one thing, Gag must be able to discern viral RNA from the host cell's and squirrel it away inside new viral particles — no easy task considering only two to three percent of the RNA found in the cytoplasm is from HIV-1. Exactly how Gag selectively packages viral RNA has been widely speculated but never directly observed.

Neurons controlling appetite made from skin cells Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:25 AM PST Researchers have for the first time successfully converted adult human skin cells into neurons of the type that regulate appetite, providing a patient-specific model for studying the neurophysiology of weight control and testing new therapies for obesity.

Left or right? The brain knows before you move Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:24 AM PST A neural circuit that connects motor planning to movement has been identified by researchers. The study, the researchers say, explains why injuries that disrupt the brain's ability to carry out movement planning typically impair a person's ability to make movements on just one side of his or her body.

Urine test could lead to better treatment of bladder cancer Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:47 AM PST A simple urine test could help to guide clinicians in the treatment of bladder cancer patients, researchers believe. Being able to reliably identify those patients with the most aggressive cancers early via urine tests, and expediting aggressive therapeutic strategies, may significantly improve outcomes, they say.

Global health experts call into question sub-Saharan cancer data Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:47 AM PST Global health experts believe the current data on cancer prevalence, incidence and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa -- which determines how billions of pounds of international development money is spent -- are weak and could mean vital funds are being deflected from other priorities. These include diarrheal and waterborne diseases, malnutrition, sanitation and the need to strengthen health systems.

New ultrasensitive test for peanut allergies Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:47 AM PST Chemists have developed a new test for peanut allergies that can not only tell whether someone is allergic, it can also determine how intense their allergic reaction will be.

Suicide rates rising for older US adults Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:47 AM PST Suicide rates for adults 40-64 years of age in the US have risen about 40 percent since 1999, with a sharp rise since 2007. One possible explanation could be the detrimental effects of the economic downturn of 2007-2009, leading to disproportionate effects on house values, household finances, and retirement savings for that age group. Researchers found that external economic factors were present in 37.5 percent of all completed suicides in 2010, rising from 32.9 percent in 2005.

Experts warn of stem cell underuse as transplants reach one million worldwide Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:46 AM PST Findings of a new reveal striking variations between countries and regions in the use of this lifesaving stem cell transplantation, and high unmet need due to a chronic shortage of resources and donors that is putting lives at risk, experts report.

DNA evidence shows surprise cultural connections between Britain and Europe 8,000 years ago Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST DNA evidence shows surprise cultural connections between Britain and Europe 8,000 years ago. Researchers found evidence for a variety of wheat at a submerged archaeological site off the south coast of England, 2,000 years before the introduction of farming in the UK.

Quality control for adult stem cell treatment Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST A strategy to ensure that adult epidermal stem cells are safe before they are used as treatments for patients has been devised by scientists. The approach involves a clonal strategy where stem cells are collected and cultivated, genetically modified and single cells isolated before being rigorously tested to make sure they meet the highest possible safety criteria. The strategy is inspired by the approaches the biotechnology industry and regulatory affairs authorities have adopted for medicinal proteins produced from genetically engineered mammalian cells.

Antibiotic resistant salad: Resistant Listeria monocytogenes not as widespread as thought Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST Antibiotic-resistant strains of the food-poisoning microbe Listeria monocytogenes in unprocessed salad products is not quite as widespread as scientists originally suspected. A new study reveals that strains of the microbe falling into six distinct groups can all be found on such products, but 82 percent of those strains succumb to at least one of sixteen common antibiotics used in veterinary and human listeriosis treatment.

New approach to assessing effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST Scientists have a developed a new method to monitor the effect of anti-cancer drugs on very rare leukemia stem cells. The approach potentially allows doctors to screen patients and personalize their treatment.

Synthetic biology breakthrough leads to cheaper statin production Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST Researchers have developed a single-step fermentative method for the production of leading cholesterol-lowering drug, pravastatin, which will facilitate industrial-scale statin drug production.

Dying in front of the camera: What are the impacts? Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST Clips of protesters dying in consequence of current conflicts appear more and more frequently on YouTube. What do they trigger? How do they change the media and the way we perceive things? These are the questions investigated by a media scientist using the example of the conflicts in Iran and Syria. She has realized that images of dying people, even those shot from the dying person's perspective, are nothing new. What has changed is the quality of the images; the encounter with death is more intense, more intimate. What does that do to the viewer? What impact do such videos have on people affected by conflicts?

World's best cross-country skiers pole to victory Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST As the World Cup cross-country ski races wrap up in Falun, Sweden this weekend, it's hard not to wonder what separates the very best skiers from across the globe from the winners. Norwegian researchers now have the answer: it's all in the arms.

Cardiac and respiratory function supported by abdominal muscles in muscular dystrophy Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST The muscular dystrophies are known to target various muscle groups differentially. In addition to making limb muscles weak, muscular dystrophy (MD) can also lead to decreased function of specific muscles involved in respiration causing breathing difficulties as well as leading to cardiac problems. Using mouse models, researchers found that abdominal muscles may be severely involved in the muscular dystrophy process.

Shake it off? Not so easy for people with depression, new brain research suggests Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:40 AM PST Rejected by a person you like? Just "shake it off" and move on, as music star Taylor Swift says. But while that might work for many people, it may not be so easy for those with untreated depression, a new brain study finds. The pain of social rejection lasts longer for them -- and their brain cells release less of a natural pain and stress-reducing chemical called natural opioids.

Women veterans younger, more depressed when referred for heart test Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:40 AM PST Women veterans face a different home front battle with heart disease. Younger and more depressed when getting attention for chest pain -- heart tests often show a surprising result.

Better insurance access leads to more hip, knee replacements among minorities Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:21 AM PST The expansion of insurance coverage in Massachusetts increased the number of elective knee and hip replacement procedures by 4.7 percent, with greater increases among black and Hispanic patients, investigators have found.

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