الثلاثاء، 21 أبريل 2015

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


Mindfulness-based therapy could offer an alternative to antidepressants for preventing depression relapse

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 06:39 PM PDT

The results come from the first ever large study to compare mindfulness-based therapy – structured training for the mind and body which aims to change the way people think and feel about their experiences – with maintenance antidepressant medication for reducing the risk of relapse in depression, researchers say.

Listen to your heart: Why your brain may give away how well you know yourself

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 06:39 PM PDT

"Listen to your heart," sang Swedish pop group Roxette in the late Eighties. But not everyone is able to tune into their heartbeat, according to an international team of researchers -- and half of us under- or over-estimate our ability.

A bad buzz: Men with HIV need fewer drinks to feel effects

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:28 PM PDT

Researchers compared the number of drinks that men with HIV infection, versus those without it, needed to get a buzz. They found that HIV-infected men were more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than uninfected men.

New technology may improve management of leading causes of blindness

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:27 PM PDT

New technology can improve the clinical management of the leading causes of blindness, researchers say. Optical coherence tomography angiography could largely replace current dye-based angiography in the management of these diseases.

Middle-aged congenital heart disease survivors may need special care

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:26 PM PDT

For the first time, the American Heart Association has made recommendations for treating people older than 40 with congenital heart disease. "People born with congenital heart disease are living longer and fuller lives than ever before, and there are now more adults than children with congenital heart disease," said the lead author of the new scientific statement.

Long non-coding RNA modulates colorectal cancer metabolism

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:25 PM PDT

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are unusual in that they don't encode proteins like normal RNA. Yet they do play a role in regulating cellular functions and interest cancer researchers.

New guideline advises when to treat a first seizure

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:25 PM PDT

A new guideline found that administering an antiepileptic medication immediately after a first seizure reduces the risk of having another seizure within two years.

Earlier ovarian cancer detection

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:24 PM PDT

Successful ovarian cancer treatment often relies on catching it early. A study may help point to a new method for women at risk.

Potential new lung cancer therapy

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:24 PM PDT

New findings about regulation of PD-L1, a protein that allows cancer to evade the immune system, has shown therapeutic promise for several cancers, including the most common form of lung cancer.

Excessive use of dietary supplements linked to increase cancer risk

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 03:24 PM PDT

While dietary supplements may be advertised to promote health, new research shows a link between consumption of over-the-counter supplements and increased cancer risk, if the supplements are taken in excess of the recommended dietary amount.

Cancer-inflammation 'vicious cycle' detailed in new study

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 12:48 PM PDT

New findings hidden within the complex machinery behind the chronic inflammation-cancer feedback loop have been discerned.

Frequent indoor tanning among teens shows correlation with smoking, social media use

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 11:47 AM PDT

More than a third of New Jersey high school students who engage in indoor tanning do so frequently and many would find it hard to stop the practice. Investigators also found that frequent indoor tanners were more likely to smoke and to engage in social media activities related to indoor tanning.

PTSD common in ICU Survivors

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 11:47 AM PDT

Nearly one-quarter of ICU survivors suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), new research has found. They also identified possible triggers for PTSD and indicated a potential preventive strategy: having patients keep ICU diaries.

Interventions reduce bloodstream infections

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 11:45 AM PDT

A bundled intervention focused on evidence-based infection prevention practices, safety culture and teamwork, and scheduled measurement of infection rates considerably reduced central line-associated bloodstream infections across intensive care units in seven Abu Dhabi hospitals, researchers report.

Extending natalizumab up to 8 weeks shown safe and effective in patients with multiple sclerosis, report says

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 11:44 AM PDT

Extending the dose of natalizumab from four weeks up to eight weeks was shown to be well-tolerated and effective in patients, and resulted in no cases of the potentially fatal side effect progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, researchers report.

Two different carotid artery stenting procedures show little difference in effectiveness

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 11:44 AM PDT

Use of either proximal embolic protection devices (P-EPDs) or distal filter embolic protection devices (F-EPDs) during elective carotid artery stenting results in low rates of in-hospital stroke and death, according to a new study. The study found that although P-EPDs have been theorized to be more effective than F-EPDs at preventing stroke during carotid artery stenting, this first comparative effectiveness study revealed no statistically significant difference between the two devices.

Oral milk thistle extract stops colorectal cancer stem cells from growing tumors

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 11:43 AM PDT

A new study shows that orally administering the chemical silibinin, purified from milk thistle, slows the ability of colorectal cancer stem cells to grow the disease. When stem cells from tumors grown in silibinin-fed conditions were re-injected into new models, the cells failed to develop equally aggressive tumors even in the absence of silibinin.

Changes in cancer epigenome implicated in chemotherapy resistance, lymphoma relapse

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Genomic studies have illuminated the ways in which malfunctioning genes can drive cancer growth while stunting the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy and other treatments. But new findings indicate that these genes are only partly to blame for why treatment that was at one point effective ultimately fails for about 40 percent of patients diagnosed with the most common form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

New drug combination shows promise for breaking breast cancer resistance

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 10:06 AM PDT

A new combination of drugs has been developed that may overcome treatment resistance and relapse in breast cancer. While most women initially respond well to hormonal treatment with drugs such as tamoxifen, many go on to develop resistance and relapse. There is evidence that this is often due to activation of the Wnt signalling pathway, a gene involved in development which fuels the growth of the tumor.

Protein pumps that allow bacteria to resist drugs

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:30 AM PDT

The structure of two closely related protein pumps that allow bacteria to resist certain medications has been described by scientists in new articles. The studies reveal that when the bacteria detect the antibiotic sulfonamide, "they turn on these transporters and pump it out, assuring survival of the cell," an author said.

New tactic targets brain tumors

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:30 AM PDT

Patients who are obese, diabetic or both have the highest incidence of brain tumors, and they offer a clue that insulin is a factor for some glioblastoma patients. But a new study suggests drugs tested on such tumors targeted the wrong molecules.

Childhood syndrome combining lung disease, arthritis identified

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:30 AM PDT

Using the latest genome sequencing techniques, a research team has identified a new autoimmune syndrome characterized by a combination of severe lung disease and arthritis. The hereditary disorder, which appears in early childhood, had never been diagnosed as a single syndrome. The new research revealed that it is caused by mutations in a single gene that disrupt how proteins are shuttled around within cells. Patients with the newly discovered syndrome have a poor prognosis, and at present can only be treated with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant drugs. Many have lung disease so severe that they must receive lung transplants.

New pathway reveals how immune system is regulated, gives hope for chronic diseases

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:29 AM PDT

An important new way in which our immune systems are regulated has been uncovered by researchers, giving hope that understanding it will help tackle the debilitating effects of type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other serious diseases.

Global pandemic of fake medicines poses urgent risk, scientists say

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:29 AM PDT

Poor quality medicines are an urgent threat that could undermine decades of successful efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB, according to experts. Scientists report up to 41 percent of specimens failed to meet quality standards in global studies of about 17,000 drug samples.

Pancreatic cancer loses viral defenses when talking with supporting cells

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:29 AM PDT

Researchers have unlocked a way to make pancreatic cancer cells more vulnerable to cancer-killing viruses, known as oncolytic viruses. The scientists have discovered how they can exploit the communication, or cross-talk, between pancreatic cancer and a specific cell type that supports the tumor. They found that this cross-talk weakens the ability of both cell types to fight off cancer-fighting viruses.

Two tested approaches to treating childhood obesity appear effective

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:29 AM PDT

A study of two protocols for the treatment of childhood obesity finds that both were successful in limiting one-year weight gain in obese children. Both interventions use information technology to provide clinicians with up-to-date obesity management guidelines and tools to help families manage behaviors related to obesity and fitness.

Fake malaria drugs not as common as previously reported

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:28 AM PDT

A rigorous analysis of antimalarial drug quality conducted in Cambodia and Tanzania found no evidence of fake medicines, according to new research. Previous reports had suggested that up to one third of antimalarials could be fake. Researchers analysed 2,028 antimalarials from Tanzania and Cambodia. Samples were selected in a rigorous and representative way making this one of the most recent comprehensive data sets on antimalarial quality.

Happily ever after: Scientists arrange protein-nanoparticle marriage

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:28 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered a way to easily and effectively fasten proteins to nanoparticles -- essentially an arranged marriage -- by simply mixing them together. The biotechnology is in its infancy. But it already has shown promise for developing an HIV vaccine and as a way to target cancer cells.

Reducing global tobacco use

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:28 AM PDT

Although global efforts to cut tobacco use have had some success, more can be done to reduce the number of deaths from smoking, according to a new commentary. More than 170 countries have signed the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control agreement since it was adopted in 2005. However, smoking rates are still high in many low- and middle-income countries compared with Canada and other high-income countries where efforts to curb smoking have been more successful.

Video games in care homes: connecting older adults, or exposing age-related vulnerability?

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:26 AM PDT

Introducing video games as a means of bringing older adults in long-term care together may not always be an easy task, according to new research. Offering stimulating and accessible leisure activities such as this can be difficult for care providers as the impact of age-related changes and impairments on residents grows, authors of a new study warn.

Ways to avoid catching diseases from pets

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:25 AM PDT

Pets can pass diseases to humans, especially when a pet owner's immune system is compromised. Here, veterinarians outline ways for families to avoid disease transmission by choosing the right type of pet--or making small changes in the ways they enjoy the pets they already have.

Pancreatic cancer breakthrough: Scientists turn cancer cells into normal cells

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:25 AM PDT

Scientists have found a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention of the "silent cancer." A new research study has shown that pancreatic cancer cells can be coaxed to revert back toward normal cells by introducing a protein called E47. E47 binds to specific DNA sequences and controls genes involved in growth and differentiation. The research provides hope for a new treatment approach for the more than 40,000 people who die from the disease each year in the United States.

Use of radiotherapy after prostate cancer surgery declining, despite evidence of benefit

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:03 AM PDT

Despite strong evidence and guidelines supporting its use, post-surgical radiation therapy for prostate cancer patients at risk of recurrence is declining in the United States. This study finds fewer than 10 percent of patients at risk of recurrence received postoperative radiotherapy within six months of surgery in the U.S.

Adjuvant Ipilimumab effects survival after high risk lymph node and melanoma resection

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:03 AM PDT

Adjuvant Ipilimumab significantly improves recurrence-free survival in patients with completely resected stage III melanoma at high risk of disease recurrence, research indicates, but that this treatment was also associated with a high rate of immune-related adverse events.

Higher-than-expected pediatric cancer rates identified in two Florida areas

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:03 AM PDT

Higher-than-expected rates of pediatric cancers have been identified in the Miami metro area and an area west of the Everglades in a series of five statistical analyses. Comparisons across analyses reveal characteristics of the detected patterns, including the number of cases (two), types of cancer (leukemia or brain/central nervous system cancer) and the racial composition and timing of the cluster west of the Everglades.

Clues to why older people get more tendon injuries

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 09:03 AM PDT

New research into how tendons age has found that the material between tendon fiber bundles stiffens as it gets older and that this is responsible for older people being more susceptible to tendon injuries.

Falsified medicines taint global supply

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 08:14 AM PDT

The threat of falsified medications, also referred to as counterfeit, fraudulent, and substandard, can be quite real, yet the full scope and prevalence of the problem is poorly understood, say researchers. Counterfeit medicines have traditionally been defined as those for which the identity or source is mislabeled in a way that makes them appear to be a genuine product when they are not, though definitions of the problem itself are the subject of international debate.

Drugs stimulate body’s own stem cells to replace the brain cells lost in multiple sclerosis

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 08:13 AM PDT

Scientists have identified two topical drugs (miconazole and clobetasol) capable of stimulating regeneration of damaged brain cells and reversing paralysis in animal models of MS.

Discovery of gene that determines cocoa butter melting point to have far-reaching effects

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

The discovery of a gene involved in determining the melting point of cocoa butter -- a critical attribute of the substance widely used in foods and pharmaceuticals -- will likely lead to new and improved products, according to researchers.

LGBT-competent physicians are scarce at US academic medical practices, study finds

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

Only 9 percent of US academic medical practices have procedures for connecting patients to LGBT-competent physicians, and only 4 percent had policies for identifying those physicians. In addition, only 15 percent had lists of LGBT-competent physicians, a new report says.

Throwing light on how to conduct a personalized pancreas cancer clinical trial

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

Leaders of an ongoing pancreatic cancer clinical trial known as the Individualized Molecular Pancreatic Cancer Therapy or 'IMPaCT' trial, have been learning ways to bring about about a new paradigm of personalized cancer care for pancreatic cancer and other aggressive cancer types.

Autism-epilepsy connection explored in four studies

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 07:08 AM PDT

Epilepsy affects nearly 30 percent of all people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurobehavioral condition marked by impaired social and language development. Conversely, many patients with epilepsy display ASD-like behavior. Recent studies suggest that epileptic seizures impair the neural pathways needed for socialization, but the details of this process remain unclear.

Is the amyloid hypothesis the right path to find a treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:51 AM PDT

There is both risk and reward in focusing Alzheimer's disease research on inhibiting amyloid production, according to a new article. The article reviews the significant body of research proposing that the accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain is the Alzheimer's disease trigger that must be inhibited.

Immune therapy tested in study of women with triple-negative breast cancer

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:51 AM PDT

Early data in a preliminary human study show that an experimental immune system drug is generally safe and well tolerated in women with metastatic, triple-negative breast cancer, a persistently difficult form of the disease to treat.

Tumor genome sequencing shows the most frequently altered gene in bladder cancer: Telomerase reverse transcriptase

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT

Researchers have reported that the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene promoter was altered in 69 percent of 54 cases of bladder cancer. Telomerase reverse transcriptase alterations frequently co-occur with alterations in recently identified bladder cancer genes such as STAG2 and KDM6A.

A common nerve protein elevated in aggressive neuroblastomas

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT

A protein produced by nerve cells appears to be elevated in the blood of those with an aggressive form of neuroblastoma. The finding could potentially lead to a prognostic test for the disease or be used to monitor its progress.

Researchers formulate new yogurts with high protein content, higher satiating capacity

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:48 AM PDT

Anew yogurt with high protein content and higher satiating capacity has been developed, opening up an alternative in the design of new nutritional control strategies. One researcher involved says that protein is the most effective macronutrient in obtaining a satiating effect, "that is what makes the formulation of dairy products with higher protein content able to help moderate food consumption".

Is there such a thing as 'pure' autism? Genetic analysis says no

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:48 AM PDT

The search for genes that contribute to the risk for autism has made tremendous strides over the past 3 years. As this field has advanced, investigators have wondered whether the diversity of clinical features across patients with autism reflects heterogeneous sources of genetic risk.

Insects inspire next generation of hearing aids

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:47 AM PDT

An insect-inspired microphone that can tackle the problem of locating sounds and eliminate background noise is set to revolutionize modern-day hearing aid systems, scientists say. Despite remarkable advances in sound analysis in hearing aids, the actual microphone itself has remained essentially unchanged for decades. Current directional microphone technology adds cost, weight and power requirements to hearing aids compromising their design.

Detecting lung cancer at an early stage: 'Spectral histopathology' facilitates prognosis regarding tumour aggressiveness

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:47 AM PDT

A new diagnostic method, namely spectral histopathology, facilitates marker-free detection of individual subtypes of lung cancers. It is an automatable imaging process which, by classifying specific forms of lung cancer, facilitates a prognosis regarding a tumor's aggressiveness. The team compares the results of traditional diagnostic procedures with those of spectral histopathology in a new article.

Pruning of blood vessels: Cells can fuse with themselves

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:47 AM PDT

Cells of the vascular system of vertebrates can fuse with themselves. This process, which occurs when a blood vessel is no longer necessary and pruned, has now been described on the cellular level by researchers.

Cancer gene unintentionally ends the life of cancer cells, turns off life supporting genes

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:47 AM PDT

Myc cancer gene makes cells to commit suicide by repressing life supporting "well-being" genes, a new study suggests. These findings provide new opportunities to develop drugs, which could switch Myc from a cancer driver gene to a deadly assassin of the cancer cells, and encourages a rethinking of how to unmask cancer vulnerabilities, scientists say

Successfully managing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT

Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported and debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and can significantly reduce an individual's quality of life. Unlike the tiredness that we all experience sometimes, fatigue in those with MS can have a hugely negative impact -- it can limit or stop people from doing day-to-day activities and things that really matter to them. It is the main reason why people with MS stop working. Research has been tackling the challenge of managing fatigue in people with MS, with encouraging results.

Clinical trial for personalized kidney cancer vaccine

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT

A research center has enrolled its first patient in a phase 3 clinical trial that uses a person's own kidney cancer cells to make a vaccine tailored to kill those cells.

Most Americans say medical marijuana shouldn't be used by kids or in front of kids, legal or not

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT

Medical marijuana and children don't mix, most Americans say. While nearly two-thirds of people agree that their state should allow medical marijuana for adults, half as many -- just over a third -- say it should be allowed for children, according to a new poll representing a national sample of adults in the U.S.

Clinical trial offers patient ‘best shot’ at fighting kidney cancer

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT

The pain Anne Holmes felt in her arm was actually kidney cancer that had spread. She joined a phase 3 clinical trial. The trial tests a new approach that strips the invisibility cloak from spreading kidney cancer cells; it will use Holmes' own cells to create a vaccine tailored for her cancer cells.

Overnight fasting may reduce breast cancer risk in women

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT

A decrease in the amount of time spent eating and an increase in overnight fasting reduces glucose levels and may reduce the risk of breast cancer among women, report researchers. Women who fasted for longer periods of time overnight had significantly better control over blood glucose concentrations. The data shows that each three hour increase in nighttime fasting was associated with a 4 percent lower postprandial glucose level, regardless of how much women ate.

Immunotherapy combination promising for untreated patients with advanced melanoma

Posted: 20 Apr 2015 05:45 AM PDT

The combination of two immunotherapies for first-line treatment of advanced melanoma induces better responses and far longer progression-free survival than giving one of those drugs alone, new research shows. Further, the combination was effective in the portion of melanoma patients--the majority--who currently have few effective treatment options.

Seeking new targets for ovarian cancer treatment

Posted: 19 Apr 2015 04:40 PM PDT

Identifying molecular changes that occur in tissue after chemotherapy could be crucial in advancing treatments for ovarian cancer, according to research from Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2015.

Broccoli sprout extract promising for head and neck cancer prevention

Posted: 19 Apr 2015 04:40 PM PDT

Broccoli sprout extract protects against oral cancer in mice and proved tolerable in a small group of healthy human volunteers, according to new research.

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