ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Experimental Ebola vaccine safe, prompts immune response
• Common cholesterol drug stimulates the same receptors as marijuana
• Low Testosterone not just in males: Testosterone, atherosclerosis and obesity may be linked in females
• Computer model predicts how our livers will store fat
• Failed synchronization of the womb's clock with mother's body clock critical in miscarriages
• Lethal prostate cancer can spread from other metastatic sites, study affirms
• 'Firefly' mechanism makes cancer studies more efficient, less expensive
• Eyeliner application may cause eye problems, study finds
• Researchers 'smell' new receptors that could underlie the many actions of the anesthetic drug ketamine
• Presence of heart pouch may explain strokes of unknown origin, study finds
• Lifting families out of poverty, with dignity
• Predicting chronic pain in whiplash injuries
• Migrating immune cells promote nerve cell demise in the brain
• Oral pain specialists treat complex health issues, according to new survey
• Scientists drill down to genetic root of prostate tumor development
• Alcohol-related cues, stress strongly impact females and increase 'craving'-like behavior
• Antioxidant therapy may have promising potential in concussion treatment
• Phone counseling reduces pain, disability after back surgery
• Premature aging of stem cell telomeres, not inflammation, linked to emphysema
• Exercise for older mouse mothers lowers risk of heart defects in babies
• Springing ahead of nature: Device increases walking efficiency
• Study of brain networks shows differences in children with OCD
• Old cancer drug could have new use in fighting cancer
• Anticancer drug can spur immune system to fight infection
• Barriers found that prevent Ugandans with rheumatic heart disease from receiving needed penicillin
• Team succeeds in doubling life span of mice suffering from premature aging
• Food-poisoning pathogen: A multi-faceted poison?
• 'Beige' fat-burning cells in humans identified
• Mighty microexons take center stage in shaping of the brain
• Depression often co-occurs with joint diseases
• Combining magnetism and light to fight cancer
• Expanding on liquid biopsies with exosomes
• Will the Affordable Care Act eliminate health disparities?
• ActiveGuard mattress liners reduce bed bugs' ability to lay eggs, study finds
• Number of childhood cancer survivors increasing, most have morbidities
• Cancer prevention efforts in the US a mixed bag
• Treating a common gum condition could reduce risk of heart attacks in kidney disease patients
• Soldiers cite 'Medic!' as a top hearing priority
• New pain relief delivery method discovered
• Blood test predicts severity of peanut and seafood allergies, experts say
• Surgery improves survival in diabetic patients with heart disease
• Neuroscientists call for immediate action to determine the dangers and benefits of cognitive-enhancing drug use in healthy people
• Physician recommendations result in greater weight loss
• 'Religiously integrated' psychotherapy is effective for depression
• Facilitated intervention can improve quality of life for breast cancer survivors

Experimental Ebola vaccine safe, prompts immune response Posted: 01 Apr 2015 06:58 PM PDT An early-stage clinical trial of an experimental Ebola vaccine found that the vaccine, called VSV-ZEBOV, was safe and elicited robust antibody responses in all 40 of the healthy adults who received it.

Common cholesterol drug stimulates the same receptors as marijuana Posted: 01 Apr 2015 01:16 PM PDT If you want the benefits of medical marijuana without the 'unwanted side effects' of cannabis, new research should leave you on a high note. According to a research, fenofibrate, also known by the brand name Tricor, may benefit a wide range of health issues, such as pain, appetite stimulation, nausea, as well as immune and various psychiatric and neurological conditions.

Low Testosterone not just in males: Testosterone, atherosclerosis and obesity may be linked in females Posted: 01 Apr 2015 01:16 PM PDT While testosterone replacement therapies may be controversial in males, new research may extend this controversy to females too. That's because research involving mice suggests that there is an association between low levels of androgens, including testosterone, and atherosclerosis and obesity in females.

Computer model predicts how our livers will store fat Posted: 01 Apr 2015 01:16 PM PDT As part of an effort to understand how an experimental drug for atherosclerosis causes the build-up of fat in the liver, scientists have developed a computer model that can predict how the rate at which liver stores fat in response to various situations. Being able to model liver fat storage gives researchers a way to predict the side effects of drugs and environmental factors at much earlier stages in the research and drug development process, possibly reducing the number of experiments involving animal models.

Failed synchronization of the womb's clock with mother's body clock critical in miscarriages Posted: 01 Apr 2015 01:16 PM PDT If you are trying to have a baby, a good night's sleep is more important than ever. A new research report shows that the womb has its own 'body clock' that needs to synchronize with the mother's body clock to ensure optimal conditions for fetal growth and development.

Lethal prostate cancer can spread from other metastatic sites, study affirms Posted: 01 Apr 2015 01:15 PM PDT A new genomic analysis of tissue from patients with prostate cancer has added more evidence that cells within metastases from such tumors can migrate to other body parts and form new sites of spread on their own.

'Firefly' mechanism makes cancer studies more efficient, less expensive Posted: 01 Apr 2015 01:15 PM PDT The mechanism that makes fireflies glow through a process called bioluminescence can be used to study tumor response to therapy as well, researchers have found. Bioluminescence has a major role in small animal research, and the technique has been widely applied in tumor models. The multiple tumor approach can also be used for high throughput screening of a vast range of anti-cancer drug therapies.

Eyeliner application may cause eye problems, study finds Posted: 01 Apr 2015 11:54 AM PDT People who apply eyeliner on the inner eyelid run the risk of contaminating the eye and causing vision trouble, according to research. This is the first study to prove that particles from pencil eyeliner move into the eye.

Researchers 'smell' new receptors that could underlie the many actions of the anesthetic drug ketamine Posted: 01 Apr 2015 11:50 AM PDT Researchers are continuing their work in trying to understand the mechanisms through which anesthetics work to elicit the response that puts millions of Americans to sleep for surgeries each day. Their most recent study looked at ketamine, an anesthetic discovered in the 1960s and more recently prescribed as an anti-depressant at low doses. They have identified an entirely new class of receptors that ketamine binds in the body, which may underlie its diverse actions.

Presence of heart pouch may explain strokes of unknown origin, study finds Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:32 AM PDT A pouchlike structure inside the heart's left atrial chamber in some people may explain strokes that otherwise lack an identifiable cause, according to researchers. Stroke is the leading cause of long-term severe disability and the fourth-most-common cause of death in the U.S. About 80 percent of the 700,000-plus strokes that occur annually in this country are due to blood clots blocking a brain artery. In up to a third of these cases, the clots' origin cannot be determined.

Lifting families out of poverty, with dignity Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:32 AM PDT America's welfare state is quietly evolving from needs-based to an employment-based safety net that rewards working families and fuels dreams of a better life, indicates a new study. The major reason, authors indicate: the little-known Earned Income Tax Credit, a $65 billion federal tax-relief program for poor, working families. The program has been expanded dramatically during the past 25 years, while cash welfare has been sharply curtailed.

Predicting chronic pain in whiplash injuries Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:32 AM PDT While most people recover from whiplash injuries within a few months, about 25 percent have long-term pain and disability for many months or years. Using special MRI imaging, scientists identified, within the first one and two weeks of the injury, which patients will develop chronic pain and disability. This is the earliest these patients have been identified and will enable faster treatment. The imaging revealed large amounts of fat infiltrating the patients' neck muscles, indicating rapid atrophy.

Migrating immune cells promote nerve cell demise in the brain Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:32 AM PDT The death of dopamine-producing nerve cells in a certain region of the brain is the principal cause underlying Parkinson's disease. In mice, it is possible to simulate the Parkinson's symptoms using a substance that selectively kills dopamine-producing neurons. Scientists have now shown that after this treatment, cells of the peripheral immune system migrate into the brain, where they play a major role in the death of neurons.

Oral pain specialists treat complex health issues, according to new survey Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:32 AM PDT Dental researchers conducted a survey to better understand the work done by oral pain specialists. Answers revealed that patients on average visit 2.2 doctors over 17 months before visiting the pain specialists for find what causes their discomfort.

Scientists drill down to genetic root of prostate tumor development Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:30 AM PDT Scientists have revealed the root of prostate cancers in individual men, discovering that despite huge genetic variety between tumors they also share common gene faults -- insight that could offer new treatment hopes. They also revealed more detail about how prostate cancer spreads, showing that the group of cells that first spread from the prostate carry on traveling around the body, forming more secondary tumors.

Alcohol-related cues, stress strongly impact females and increase 'craving'-like behavior Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:28 AM PDT A study conducted in rats measuring risk factors that contribute to alcohol abuse suggests females are particularly sensitive to alcohol-related cues and stress which elicits a "craving" response.

Antioxidant therapy may have promising potential in concussion treatment Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:27 AM PDT Antioxidants may play a key role in reducing the long-term effects of concussions and could potentially offer a unique new approach for treatment, a new study suggests. Common among athletes and soldiers, it is estimated that 3.4 million concussions occur each year in the United States. The development of a readily available oral supplement would have the potential to improve brain function in a percentage of concussion sufferers.

Phone counseling reduces pain, disability after back surgery Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:27 AM PDT Having a short series of phone conversations with trained counselors can substantially boost recovery and reduce pain in patients after spinal surgery, a new study shows. The phone calls, designed to enrich standard pre- and post-operative care by reinforcing the value of sticking with physical therapy and back-strengthening exercise regimens, are a relatively inexpensive and simple intervention that can maximize surgical outcomes for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who undergo spinal surgeries every year, the investigators say.

Premature aging of stem cell telomeres, not inflammation, linked to emphysema Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:27 AM PDT Lung diseases like emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis are common among people with malfunctioning telomeres, the "caps" or ends of chromosomes. Now, researchers say they have discovered what goes wrong and why.

Exercise for older mouse mothers lowers risk of heart defects in babies Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:27 AM PDT In people, a baby's risk of congenital heart defects is associated with the age of the mother. Risk goes up with increasing age. Newborn mice predisposed to heart defects because of genetic mutations show the same age association. A new study demonstrates that older mouse mothers reduce this risk for their offspring to that of younger mouse mothers through exercise alone, according to researchers.

Springing ahead of nature: Device increases walking efficiency Posted: 01 Apr 2015 10:27 AM PDT It's taken millions of years for humans to perfect the art of walking. But research results show that humans can get better 'gas mileage' using an unpowered exoskeleton to modify the structure of their ankles.

Study of brain networks shows differences in children with OCD Posted: 01 Apr 2015 08:57 AM PDT Communication between some of the brain's most important centers is altered in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a new study shows. The results are highly consistent with observations in the clinic, said a researcher. "Children with OCD are beset by preoccupations and can't easily move on from certain tasks and behaviors. As all complex behavior arises from brain networks, being trapped in this mode must arise from impaired brain network interactions in OCD. In our previous studies we had focused on assessing the structure and the neurochemistry of the anterior cingulate. We had long suspected that brain network interactions originating in this region are impaired in the disorder. But this is the first study to clearly demonstrate this."

Old cancer drug could have new use in fighting cancer Posted: 01 Apr 2015 08:57 AM PDT An old cancer drug can not only kill cancer cells, but also works to change how certain cancer cells function, weakening those cells so they can be killed by other drugs, a veterinary researcher has discovered.

Anticancer drug can spur immune system to fight infection Posted: 01 Apr 2015 08:57 AM PDT Imatinib, an example of a 'targeted therapy' against cancer, or related drugs might be tools to fight a variety of infections, scientists say. Imatinib, is an example of a "targeted therapy" against certain types of cancer. It blocks tyrosine kinase enzymes, which are dysregulated in cancers such as chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Barriers found that prevent Ugandans with rheumatic heart disease from receiving needed penicillin Posted: 01 Apr 2015 08:45 AM PDT Access to penicillin can prevent deaths from rheumatic heart disease. Researchers collaborated to learn about obstacles that prevent people from receiving the medication and find ways to overcome them.

Team succeeds in doubling life span of mice suffering from premature aging Posted: 01 Apr 2015 08:45 AM PDT An increase in the capacity to produce nucleotides, the 'building blocks' of DNA, reduces genome fragility and counteracts premature aging in mutant mice for the ATR protein. The experiments may explain the beneficial effects of folic acid, a precursor of nucleotides, which are clinically used to alleviate the degenerative symptoms associated with aging.

Food-poisoning pathogen: A multi-faceted poison? Posted: 01 Apr 2015 08:45 AM PDT The Bacillus cereus bacteria is one of the potential causes of food poisoning. A recent study shows that this versatile pathogen produces 19 different variants of a poison that causes nausea and vomiting in human beings. This variety could explain why some cases are relatively benign and others can result in death.

'Beige' fat-burning cells in humans identified Posted: 01 Apr 2015 06:36 AM PDT For the first time, a research team has isolated energy-burning 'beige' fat from adult humans, which is known to be able to convert unhealthy white fat into healthy brown fat. The scientists also found new genetic markers of this beige fat.

Mighty microexons take center stage in shaping of the brain Posted: 01 Apr 2015 06:36 AM PDT Complex brain disorders, such as autism or schizophrenia, still puzzle scientists because their causes lie hidden in early events of brain development, which are still poorly understood. This is about to change thanks to researchers who have developed a powerful model that will allow researchers to better understand the physiology behind many disorders.

Depression often co-occurs with joint diseases Posted: 01 Apr 2015 06:34 AM PDT Depression is one of the leading health risks and affects 350 million people worldwide. Roughly one third of the participants in a recent study who were suffering from depression also suffered from at least one physical disease. This association was evident especially with arthrosis and arthritis that are degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the joints.

Combining magnetism and light to fight cancer Posted: 01 Apr 2015 06:34 AM PDT By combining, in a liposome, magnetic nanoparticles and photosensitizers that are simultaneously and remotely activated by external physical stimuli (a magnetic field and light), scientists obtained total tumor regression in mice. Non-toxic when they are not activated, such therapies can also achieve a reduction in adverse effects. These results demonstrate the importance of multiple treatments.

Expanding on liquid biopsies with exosomes Posted: 01 Apr 2015 06:33 AM PDT A new type of liquid biopsy for solid tumors based on analyzing exosomes from the blood is being tested by clinicians. "The term 'liquid biopsy' describes the fact that a simple blood sample can contain many tumor-derived molecules and even tumor cells, enabling molecular analyses similar to those possible in tumor tissue samples," says a co-lead investigator of the study.

Will the Affordable Care Act eliminate health disparities? Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:46 AM PDT Two new studies from Massachusetts indicate that racial and socioeconomic disparities persist even with nearly universal access to health coverage. In an accompanying editorial, an expert offers perspective on why expanding health coverage is a significant step in the right direction, but may not be enough to end disparities.

ActiveGuard mattress liners reduce bed bugs' ability to lay eggs, study finds Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT Entomologists have found that bed bugs exposed to permethrin-impregnated ActiveGuard Mattress Liners are significantly less likely to take bloodmeals and to lay eggs -- even in pyrethroid-resistant populations.

Number of childhood cancer survivors increasing, most have morbidities Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT The prevalence of childhood cancer survivors is estimated to have increased, and the majority of those who have survived five or more years beyond diagnosis may have at least one chronic health condition, a new report suggests.

Cancer prevention efforts in the US a mixed bag Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT While there has been substantial progress in some cancer control efforts in the past several decades, like reductions in smoking and increased utilization of cancer screening, progress in some areas is lagging in the United States, according to a new report.

Treating a common gum condition could reduce risk of heart attacks in kidney disease patients Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:43 AM PDT Treating a common gum condition in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients could significantly reduce their risk of potentially fatal heart disease, researchers say. Over 10% of the adult population have CKD and those affected often have poor health outcomes due to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. CKD progressively worsens kidney function, raises blood pressure, and can cause progressive vascular injury and heart disease.

Soldiers cite 'Medic!' as a top hearing priority Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:43 AM PDT 'Medic!', 'Hold fire!' and grid references are amongst the highest priorities for soldiers to be able to hear while on duty, according to new research. Researchers have asked serving personnel to rank battlefield sounds and commands based on their importance, regularity and the number of soldiers who hear them in the line of duty. The results form an index that will be used in the development a new hearing test, specifically designed to assess whether soldiers have sufficient hearing ability to be effective in a combat situation.

New pain relief delivery method discovered Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:43 AM PDT A new drug release gel, which may help avoid some of the side effects of painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen, has been developed by chemists looking for a way of eliminating the adverse side-effects associated pain-killing drugs, particularly in the stomach. The new gel, based on small molecules which self-assemble into nanofibers which could interact with a variety of anti-inflammatory, painkiller drugs, including iburofen and naproxen, they say.

Blood test predicts severity of peanut and seafood allergies, experts say Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:40 AM PDT A new blood test promises to predict which people will have severe allergic reactions to foods according to a new study. To detect food allergies, physicians typically use skin prick tests or blood tests that measure levels of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), a protein made by the immune system. However, these tests cannot predict the severity of allergic reactions. Oral food challenges, in which specific allergens are given to patients to ingest under physician supervision to test for signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction, remain the gold standard for diagnosing food allergy even though the tests themselves can trigger severe reactions.

Surgery improves survival in diabetic patients with heart disease Posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:40 AM PDT Among diabetic patients with severe heart disease, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is better than stenting (percutaneous coronary intervention; PCI) at improving long-term survival and reducing the risk of adverse complications, a study confirms.

Neuroscientists call for immediate action to determine the dangers and benefits of cognitive-enhancing drug use in healthy people Posted: 31 Mar 2015 06:58 PM PDT The government, pharmaceutical industry, and national medical organizations need to work together to look at the harms and benefits of long-term use of cognitive-enhancing drugs by healthy individuals, say British neuroscientists in a new article.

Physician recommendations result in greater weight loss Posted: 31 Mar 2015 02:59 PM PDT Patients advised to lose weight by their physicians dropped more pounds on average than those who didn't receive a recommendation, according to new research. Using a national data set from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study found physician advice was associated with a reported 10-pound loss for women and a 12-pound loss for men over a one-year period.

'Religiously integrated' psychotherapy is effective for depression Posted: 31 Mar 2015 11:50 AM PDT For chronically ill patients with major depression, an approach to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that incorporates patients' religious beliefs is at least as effective as conventional CBT, suggests a study. The researchers evaluated a religiously integrated CBT approach "that takes into account and utilizes the religious beliefs of clients." The study included 132 patients with major depression and chronic illness. All patients said that religion or spirituality was "at least somewhat important" to them.

Facilitated intervention can improve quality of life for breast cancer survivors Posted: 31 Mar 2015 11:50 AM PDT Taking the focus off pain management and specific post-treatment symptoms, researchers have established a new paradigm for working with breast cancer survivors. Almost one-third of breast cancer survivors experience difficulty after treatment when trying to resume previous levels of work, leisure, physical, and social activities. This is particularly true of women in young to middle adulthood. For them, cancer diagnosis comes at a time of high demands for peak performance at work and home, and correspondingly less flexibility in time and schedule.

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