ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• Physicians should help families with decisions about end-of-life care
• Chocolate for your heart
• Lung transplant survival rates good for cystic fibrosis patients
• Radiation experts unite to streamline cancer clinical trials
• Legalizing medical marijuana does not increase use among adolescents
• Personal experience a major driver in decision for or against flu vaccination
• 'Death-associated protein' promotes cancer growth in most aggressive breast cancers
• More dialysis patients living in poor neighborhoods
• Vitamin D status related to immune response to HIV-1
• Ebola news coverage linked to public panic
• Group memberships boost self-esteem more than friends alone
• Conservation policies could improve human health
• Gene therapy prevents Parkinson's disease in animal model
• Bringing anti-cancer technology to market
• 'Crosstalk' gives clues to diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis and giant cell arteritis linked with solar cycles
• Avocados may hold the answer to beating leukemia
• Researchers discover new enzyme, link to iron in vitamin A synthesis
• New commercial method for producing medical isotope
• Study points to drug target for Huntington’s disease
• Mutation in zinc transport protein may inhibit successful breastfeeding
• Polar bears aren't the only victims of climate change
• Law enforcement officers should be authorized to administer naloxone
• Why is scratching an itch so rewarding?
• Scientists find genetic variants key to understanding origins of ovarian cancer
• Active clinician support, assistance are critical to successfully quitting smoking
• Deaths attributable to cigarettes for 12 smoking-related cancers
• Body's response to injury, inflammation may hinder wound healing in diabetes
• Elder abuse is common around the world
• Scientists grow multiple brain structures and make connections between them
• Breakthrough points to cure for debilitating heart and lung disease
• People living in disadvantaged cities are at greater risk of suicide
• Existing drug used in transplants causes older rats to lose weight
• Research may provide new targets for inflammatory bowel diseases therapies
• Scientists are first to see elements transform at atomic scale
• Vulnerabilities in genome's 'dimmer switches' should shed light on hundreds of complex diseases
• Mouse with weaker bones, stronger metabolism points toward new diabetes therapies
• Driving simulator to help test new artificial lens for cataract patients
• Researchers discover component of cinnamon prevents colorectal cancer in mice
• Scientists develop new technique for analyzing epigenetics of bacteria
• Biodiversity reduces human, wildlife diseases and crop pests
• ALK1 protein may play a role in breast cancer metastasis
• Blood antibodies may predict HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer survival
• Unraveling the link between brain, lymphatic system
• Poor sleep associated with increased risk of heart attack, stroke
• New mechanism that attacks viral infections discovered
• Parental behavior not affected by stress, anxiety of premature birth, study shows
• Concentrating pathogenic bacteria accelerates their detection
• Breast cancer cells form metastases
• Visualizing calcified coronary arteries may be wake-up call to change lifestyle
• What fish ears can tell us about sex, surveillance and sustainability
• Majority of adults favor ban on powdered alcohol, concerned it would increase underage drinking
• Neuroscientist leads efforts to detect, treat Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia
• Lack of evidence on how to care for hip fracture patients with dementia

Physicians should help families with decisions about end-of-life care Posted: 15 Jun 2015 04:15 PM PDT About 20 percent of Americans spend time in an intensive care unit around the time of their death, and most deaths follow a decision to limit life-sustaining therapies. Physicians have a responsibility to provide recommendations to families of dying patients, a critical care physician writes.

Chocolate for your heart Posted: 15 Jun 2015 04:15 PM PDT Eating up to 100 g of chocolate every day is linked to lowered heart disease and stroke risk. The calculations showed that compared with those who ate no chocolate higher intake was linked to an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 25% lower risk of associated death.

Lung transplant survival rates good for cystic fibrosis patients Posted: 15 Jun 2015 04:15 PM PDT The five-year survival rate for Canadians with cystic fibrosis who have received a lung transplant is 67 percent, new research finds. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections, obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

Radiation experts unite to streamline cancer clinical trials Posted: 15 Jun 2015 04:06 PM PDT Regulations on radiation exposure have been a critical bottleneck in starting up new cancer trials, but now radiation experts are pioneering a new streamlined system to reduce the time taken to set up clinical trials involving radiotherapy and other forms of ionising radiation, such as PET scans.

Legalizing medical marijuana does not increase use among adolescents Posted: 15 Jun 2015 04:06 PM PDT A nationwide study analyzing 24 years of data (1991 to 2014) from over one million American adolescents in the 48 contiguous states has found no evidence that legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes leads to increased use among teenagers.

Personal experience a major driver in decision for or against flu vaccination Posted: 15 Jun 2015 04:06 PM PDT Convincing someone to receive the annual flu vaccine goes beyond clever messaging and well-written public service announcements, research finds. A study outlines both the barriers and facilitators that motivate people in their flu vaccine decisions.

'Death-associated protein' promotes cancer growth in most aggressive breast cancers Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:29 PM PDT Although traditionally understood to induce death in cancer cells, researchers have discovered that the DAPK1 protein is actually essential for growth in breast and other cancers with mutations in the TP53 gene. This discovery indicates DAPK1 may be a promising new therapeutic target for many of the most aggressive cancers.

More dialysis patients living in poor neighborhoods Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:29 PM PDT The percentage of adults beginning kidney dialysis who lived in zip codes with high poverty rates increased from 27.4 percent during the 1995-2004 time period to 34 percent in 2005-2010.

Vitamin D status related to immune response to HIV-1 Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:29 PM PDT Vitamin D plays an important part in the human immune response and deficiency can leave individuals less able to fight infections like HIV-1. Now an international team of researchers has found that high-dose vitamin D supplementation can reverse the deficiency and also improve immune response.

Ebola news coverage linked to public panic Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:28 PM PDT A team of researchers fit a mathematical contagion model for the spread of disease to Twitter and Google search trend data in the wake of the US Ebola outbreak of October 2014 and discovered that media reports incited sizable public concern before a 'boredom' effect prevailed.

Group memberships boost self-esteem more than friends alone Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:26 PM PDT Belonging to multiple groups that are important to you boosts self-esteem much more than having friends alone, new research has found. The researchers compared group memberships to the number of friends people had, and found that having a large network of friends did not predict self-esteem, but belonging to multiple groups did. The authors argue that groups provide benefits that interpersonal ties alone do not; namely, meaning, connection, support and a sense of control over our lives.

Conservation policies could improve human health Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:26 PM PDT An analysis of four years of data on disease, climate, demographics, public health services and land use change in 700 municipalities within the Brazilian Amazon reveals that measures taken to protect ecosystems and the environment might also deliver public health benefits.

Gene therapy prevents Parkinson's disease in animal model Posted: 15 Jun 2015 01:26 PM PDT Gene therapy to reduce production of a brain protein prevented development of Parkinson's disease in an animal study, researchers report. The findings could lead to new understanding of how genetic and environmental factors converge to cause the disease, and the development of effective treatments to prevent disease progression.

Bringing anti-cancer technology to market Posted: 15 Jun 2015 12:24 PM PDT New technology involves use of an antibody-based cancer therapy that down-regulates a plethora of pathways associated with resistant disease. The approach could advance treatment for patients with many forms of cancer, including breast, colorectal, lung, skin, and other epithelial-derived cancers.

'Crosstalk' gives clues to diabetes Posted: 15 Jun 2015 11:28 AM PDT Sometimes, listening in on a conversation can tell you a lot. A diabetes researcher is listening in on crosstalk between the cells that control the body's response to sugar, helping us to understand, and perhaps ultimately treat, diabetes.

Rheumatoid arthritis and giant cell arteritis linked with solar cycles Posted: 15 Jun 2015 11:28 AM PDT A rare collaboration of physicists and medical researchers finds a correlation between rheumatoid arthritis and giant cell arteritis and solar cycles.

Avocados may hold the answer to beating leukemia Posted: 15 Jun 2015 11:27 AM PDT Rich, creamy, nutritious and now cancer fighting. New research reveals that molecules derived from avocados could be effective in treating a form of cancer. AML is a devastating disease and proves fatal within five years for 90 per cent of seniors over age 65. This new avocado-derived drug could one day significantly increase life expectancy and quality of life for AML patients.

Researchers discover new enzyme, link to iron in vitamin A synthesis Posted: 15 Jun 2015 11:22 AM PDT A research team's discovery of new information about how plants synthesize carotenoids, precursors for vitamin A that are essential for plant development and survival, and human health, could help scientists increase the levels of provitamin A in food crops and reduce global vitamin A deficiency.

New commercial method for producing medical isotope Posted: 15 Jun 2015 11:22 AM PDT The effort to secure a stable, domestic source of a critical medical isotope has reached an important milestone as researchers demonstrated the production, separation and purification of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99).

Study points to drug target for Huntington’s disease Posted: 15 Jun 2015 11:22 AM PDT Scientists have established conclusively that an activating protein, called "Rhes," plays a pivotal role in focusing the toxicity of Huntington's disease.

Mutation in zinc transport protein may inhibit successful breastfeeding Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:29 AM PDT It has long been known that zinc, an essential trace element, is passed to infants through mother's breast milk. The levels of zinc in mother's milk and the effects of zinc deficiency in infants have been previously studied, but the role of zinc in breast development and function in lactating mothers is a relatively new area of research. Now researchers have determined that zinc plays an important role in a woman's ability to successfully breastfeed her child.

Polar bears aren't the only victims of climate change Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:29 AM PDT From heat waves to damaged crops to asthma in children, climate change is a major public health concern, argues a researcher. Climate change is about more than melting ice caps and images of Earth on fire, he said, believing that bioethicists could help reframe current climate change discourse.

Law enforcement officers should be authorized to administer naloxone Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:29 AM PDT One way to reduce the nation's number of opioid-related deaths, states an American drug policy expert, is through the timely administration of naloxone, the life-saving overdose antidote. New research highlights law enforcement's overdose prevention efforts and addresses the legal risk associated with their administration of naloxone.

Why is scratching an itch so rewarding? Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:28 AM PDT Researchers may be closer to understanding why scratching evokes a rewarding and pleasurable sensation in patients with chronic itch. Using advanced fMRI, they looked at brain activity while chronic itch patients and healthy subjects scratched. They found areas of the brain involved in motor control and reward processing were more activated in chronic itch patients while they scratched. This may help explain the addictive scratching experienced by these patients.

Scientists find genetic variants key to understanding origins of ovarian cancer Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:28 AM PDT New research is bringing the origins of ovarian cancer into sharper focus.The study highlights the discovery of three genetic variants associated with mucinous ovarian carcinomas (MOCs), offering the first evidence of genetic susceptibility in this type of ovarian cancer.

Active clinician support, assistance are critical to successfully quitting smoking Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:09 AM PDT While primary care providers' simply asking patients with high-risk smoking histories about their smoking status did not increase patients' likelihood of quitting, providing more direct assistance -- such as talking about how to quit, recommending or prescribing nicotine replacement or pharmaceutical aids, and following up on recommendations -- significantly improved patients' success in becoming smoke-free, investigators report.

Deaths attributable to cigarettes for 12 smoking-related cancers Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:09 AM PDT Researchers estimate that 48.5 percent of the nearly 346,000 deaths from 12 cancers among adults 35 and older in 2011 were attributable to cigarette smoking.

Body's response to injury, inflammation may hinder wound healing in diabetes Posted: 15 Jun 2015 10:09 AM PDT Scientists have found that they could speed up wound healing in diabetic mice by keeping immune cells called neutrophils from producing bacteria-trapping neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).

Elder abuse is common around the world Posted: 15 Jun 2015 09:52 AM PDT A new global review reveals that elder abuse -- which includes psychological, physical, and sexual abuse; neglect; and financial exploitation -- is common among community-dwelling older adults and is especially prevalent among minority older adults. Older adults with cognitive and physical impairments or psychosocial distress are also at increased risk of elder abuse. In North and South American epidemiological studies, the prevalence of elder abuse ranged from about 10% among cognitively intact older adults to 47% in older adults with dementia. In Europe, the prevalence varied from 2% in Ireland to 61% in Croatia. In Asia, the highest prevalence was found among older adults in China (36%), while the lowest was reported among older adults in India (14%). In Africa, the prevalence ranged between 30% and 44%.

Scientists grow multiple brain structures and make connections between them Posted: 15 Jun 2015 09:52 AM PDT Human stem cells can be differentiated to produce other cell types, such as organ cells, skin cells, or brain cells. While organ cells, for example, can function in isolation, brain cells require synapses, or connectors, between cells and between regions of the brain. Researchers now report successfully growing multiple brain structures and forming connections between them in vitro, in a single culture vessel, for the first time.

Breakthrough points to cure for debilitating heart and lung disease Posted: 15 Jun 2015 09:52 AM PDT A protein that targets the effects of a faulty gene could offer the first treatment targeting the major genetic cause of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), according to new research.

People living in disadvantaged cities are at greater risk of suicide Posted: 15 Jun 2015 08:26 AM PDT The city where an individual lives can influence the risk of dying by suicide, according to a new study. The findings support classic sociological arguments that the risk of suicide is indeed influenced by the social climate and cannot simply be explained by the sum of individual characteristics, the researchers said.

Existing drug used in transplants causes older rats to lose weight Posted: 15 Jun 2015 08:26 AM PDT Aging can cause many changes to the body, including obesity and a loss of lean mass. Now, a group of researchers has discovered that an existing drug reduces body fat and appetite in older rats, which has intriguing implications for aging humans.

Research may provide new targets for inflammatory bowel diseases therapies Posted: 15 Jun 2015 08:26 AM PDT Modifying the small white blood cells that protect against disease might help treat immune disorders, according to a study. Specifically, researchers found that modulation of B lymphocyte function may be a means of regulating T lymphocyte function to treat immune-mediated disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Scientists are first to see elements transform at atomic scale Posted: 15 Jun 2015 08:24 AM PDT Chemists have witnessed atoms of one chemical element morph into another for the first time ever -- a feat that produced an unexpected outcome that could lead to a new way to safely treat cancer with radiation.

Vulnerabilities in genome's 'dimmer switches' should shed light on hundreds of complex diseases Posted: 15 Jun 2015 08:24 AM PDT A decade of work has yielded a computer formula that predicts which mutations are likely to have the largest effect on the activity of "genetic dimmer switches," suggesting new targets for diagnosis and treatment of many complex diseases.

Mouse with weaker bones, stronger metabolism points toward new diabetes therapies Posted: 15 Jun 2015 07:39 AM PDT While weaker bones are clearly not a good thing, scientists suspect that, based on a recent mouse study, somewhere in the conversation between the genetically engineered mouse's skeleton and the rest of its body, there may be an answer that helps obese individuals avoid some of the worst ravages of this health epidemic.

Driving simulator to help test new artificial lens for cataract patients Posted: 15 Jun 2015 07:30 AM PDT A miniature version of an advanced driving simulator will participate in a clinical trial later this year to assess a patient's driving ability after cataract surgery. The trial will help determine if a newly developed artificial lens will be approved for sale in the United States.

Researchers discover component of cinnamon prevents colorectal cancer in mice Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:44 AM PDT Adding cinnamaldehyde, the compound that gives cinnamon its distinctive flavor and smell, to the diet of mice, scientists have discovered that mice were protected against colorectal cancer.

Scientists develop new technique for analyzing epigenetics of bacteria Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:44 AM PDT There is a potential new tool to combat pathogens and overcome antibiotic resistance. Scientists have developed a new technique to more precisely analyze bacterial populations, to reveal epigenetic mechanisms that can drive virulence. The new methods hold the promise of a potent new tool to offset the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance by bacterial pathogens.

Biodiversity reduces human, wildlife diseases and crop pests Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:43 AM PDT With infectious diseases increasing worldwide, the need to understand how and why disease outbreaks occur is becoming increasingly important. Looking for answers, a team of biologists found broad evidence that supports the controversial 'dilution effect hypothesis,' which suggests that biodiversity limits outbreaks of disease among humans and wildlife.

ALK1 protein may play a role in breast cancer metastasis Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:43 AM PDT Breast cancer patients with high levels of the protein activin-like receptor kinase (ALK1) in the blood vessels of their tumors were more likely to develop metastatic disease, research shows. This makes inhibition of the ALK1 pathway a possible new target for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Blood antibodies may predict HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer survival Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:43 AM PDT The presence of certain human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 antibodies in the blood was associated with improved rates of survival among patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Unraveling the link between brain, lymphatic system Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:42 AM PDT A surprising finding that challenges current anatomy and histology textbook knowledge has been released by researchers: Lymphatic vessels are found in the central nervous system where they were not known to exist. Researchers discovered the meningeal linings of brain have a lymphatic vessel network that has direct connections to the systemic lymphatic network elsewhere in the body.

Poor sleep associated with increased risk of heart attack, stroke Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:42 AM PDT Poor sleep is associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke, according to results from a recent study. The study included a representative sample of 657 men aged 25 to 64 years with no history of heart attack, stroke or diabetes. In terms of sleep quality, very bad, bad or poor ratings were considered a sleeping disorder in the study. Cases of myocardial infarction and stroke were recorded over the next 14 years.

New mechanism that attacks viral infections discovered Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:41 AM PDT Researchers have found evidence of the interaction between two components of the innate immune system to combat rotavirus infection. Central to this is the discovery that two different but related elements of the immune system can act together in concert to fight. Infection with rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in children around the world.

Parental behavior not affected by stress, anxiety of premature birth, study shows Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:41 AM PDT Preterm children often require special care in the neonatal period including incubator care or assistance with breathing. Previous research has suggested that this stress, separation and an increased tendency for depression may impair a mother's parenting behavior and adversely affect preterm children's long term development. New research shows that the stress and worry of giving birth prematurely does not adversely affect a mother's parenting behavior.

Concentrating pathogenic bacteria accelerates their detection Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:41 AM PDT Rapidly detecting the presence of pathogenic bacteria is essential in a number of sectors, such as the food or cosmetics industries. To guarantee the absence of these bacteria, it is necessary to block batches for 24 to 48 hours before they are put on the market, which can be a handicap. After first developing a method to count bacteria of interest, scientists are now proposing a new technique to rapidly detect and concentrate cultivable Gram-negative bacteria.

Breast cancer cells form metastases Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:38 AM PDT A particular human gene variant makes breast cancer cells more aggressive. Not only are these more resistant to chemotherapy but also leave the primary tumour and establish themselves in other parts of the body in the form of metastases. An international group of researchers has now identified a gene, AF1q, as being substantially responsible for this and recognized it as a possible starting point for more accurate diagnosis and potential targeted therapeutic approaches.

Visualizing calcified coronary arteries may be wake-up call to change lifestyle Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:38 AM PDT Looking at images of their own calcified coronary arteries may be a wake-up call for patients with newly diagnosed coronary artery disease to change their lifestyles, reveals new research.

What fish ears can tell us about sex, surveillance and sustainability Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:35 AM PDT Scientists have found a way to pry into the private lives of fish -- by looking in their ears. By studying ear stones in fish, which act as tiny data recorders, scientists can now reveal migration patterns and even provide insights into their sex life.

Majority of adults favor ban on powdered alcohol, concerned it would increase underage drinking Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:35 AM PDT Adults across the country share the same top concern about the new alcohol-on-the-go product: potential misuse among underage youth. Packaged in travel-friendly pouches, powdered alcohol will be available in flavors of distilled spirits like vodka and rum and also mixed drinks. One packet of powdered alcohol mixed with six ounces of liquid creates an instant cocktail.

Neuroscientist leads efforts to detect, treat Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia Posted: 15 Jun 2015 06:34 AM PDT Every 67 seconds someone is the United States develops Alzheimer's disease or some form of dementia. Now, a prominent American neuroscientist is at the helm of cutting-edge research, screening methods and clinical care for all forms of dementia and cognitive impairments as well as neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Lack of evidence on how to care for hip fracture patients with dementia Posted: 14 Jun 2015 07:57 PM PDT Medical guidance on how to care for elderly people with dementia following a hip fracture is 'sadly lacking,' according to researchers. Almost half of all people who suffer hip fractures also have dementia, their report states.

You are subscribed to email updates from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States