ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Evidence for cognitive training efficacy in TBI
• Gut bacteria may impact body weight, fat and good cholesterol levels
• Brain cells get tweaked 'on the go'
• Scientists produce cancer drug from rare plant in lab
• New technologies can help short circuit chronic pain
• New risk score for colorectal cancer could guide selection of screening tests
• Depression study seeks to predict treatment response
• Chronic drinking disrupts liver's circadian clock, contributes to alcoholic liver disease
• The hormonal factor FGF21, present in breast milk, plays a key role in regulating newborn metabolism
• New protein manufacturing process unveiled
• Pancreatic cancer stem cells could be 'suffocated' by an anti-diabetic drug
• Damage in retinal periphery closely matches loss of blood flow in people with diabetes
• Problematic relationship: Small brain models distort contact intensity between neurons
• Sensitivity of smell cilia depends on location, length in nasal cavity
• Vision testing an effective tool for detecting concussion on the sidelines
• Surgery improves quality of life for patients with chronic sinus infection, sleep dysfunction
• Errant gene turns cells into mobile cancer factories
• Scientists home in on origin of human, chimpanzee facial differences
• Melatonin and multiple sclerosis: Why MS symptoms may improve as the days get shorter
• Frozen embryos as successful as fresh embryos in IVF
• When it comes to touch, to give is to receive
• Human genome editing research is essential, experts say
• Discovery offers hope for leukemia relapse post treatment
• Natural compound could reduce breast cancer risk in some women
• Upward trend in hepatitis C infection rates among HIV-positive MSM
• Modeling the helicase to understand hepatitis C
• Neolithic skeleton reveals early history of rickets
• Key without a lock: Only the balance between receptors controls blood vessel development
• Cocoa flavanols lower blood pressure and increase blood vessel function in healthy people
• Changing patient's position helps effectiveness of colonoscopy, especially on one side
• Key cellular enzyme could be effective drug target in urologic cancer cells
• Invisible health risks from harmful environmental exposures in slum areas
• Clearing a path for cancer research
• How childhood stress can affect female fertility
• Postnatal mental health: Are women getting the support they need?
• Cancer preventative surgery could become a thing of the past, new research suggests
• Research reveals the placenta's oxygen tanks for early embryos
• Your stomach bacteria determines which diet is best for weight reduction
• Where flu vaccination rates are higher in adults under 65, lower flu risk for seniors
• Breast cancer incidence, death rates rising in some economically transitioning countries
• Hint of increased brain tumor risk five years before diagnosis
• Major complications, delirium associated with adverse events after elective surgery in older adults
• Association of low resting heart rate in men, increased violent criminality

Evidence for cognitive training efficacy in TBI Posted: 10 Sep 2015 01:42 PM PDT Results of a randomized clinical trial of a cognitive intervention to improve learning and memory in individuals with traumatic brain injury have been published. The treatment protocol, the modified Story Memory Technique, was found to improve memory in adults with moderate to severe TBI, providing the first Class I evidence for the efficacy of this intervention in the TBI population.

Gut bacteria may impact body weight, fat and good cholesterol levels Posted: 10 Sep 2015 01:42 PM PDT A link has been discovered between bacteria in the gut and body weight, triglyceride and good cholesterol levels. Researchers identified 34 specific digestive tract microorganism species that influence weight and lipid metabolism.

Brain cells get tweaked 'on the go' Posted: 10 Sep 2015 11:44 AM PDT A new molecular 'switch' has been discovered that controls the properties of neurons in response to changes in the activity of their neural network. The findings suggest that the 'hardware' in our brain is tuneable and could have implications that go far beyond basic neuroscience -- from informing education policy to developing new therapies for neurological disorders such as epilepsy.

Scientists produce cancer drug from rare plant in lab Posted: 10 Sep 2015 11:40 AM PDT Stanford scientists produced a common cancer drug -- previously only available from an endangered plant -- in a common laboratory plant. This work could lead to a more stable supply of the drug and allow scientists to manipulate that drug to make it even safer and more effective.

New technologies can help short circuit chronic pain Posted: 10 Sep 2015 11:13 AM PDT As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, a variety of technologies offer new hope to people living with chronic pain. This article reviews a few of these, in an effort to give hope to those who suffer.

New risk score for colorectal cancer could guide selection of screening tests Posted: 10 Sep 2015 11:12 AM PDT A new risk assessment scoring system has been developed that could help physicians judge which patients can forgo invasive colonoscopy testing for cancer screening and which should receive the test.

Depression study seeks to predict treatment response Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:22 AM PDT Treating depressed individuals and figuring out who will and won't respond to antidepressants is mostly trial and error, but a new study may shed some light on predicting the response of a group of depressed individuals age 60 and older.

Chronic drinking disrupts liver's circadian clock, contributes to alcoholic liver disease Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:22 AM PDT Staying on an internal schedule is important for health, and disease can occur if the body's internal clock is disrupted. A new study reinforces the importance of circadian rhythm, reporting that chronic drinking contributes to alcoholic liver disease because it impairs the liver's production schedule of molecules that power it to run.

The hormonal factor FGF21, present in breast milk, plays a key role in regulating newborn metabolism Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:20 AM PDT A compound found in breast milk, named fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), plays a key role in neonatal nutrient absorption and intestinal function. FGF21 also contributes to improve newborn growth and metabolic profile.

New protein manufacturing process unveiled Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:20 AM PDT A user-friendly technology has been developed to help scientists understand how proteins work and fix them when they are broken. Such knowledge could pave the way for new drugs for a myriad of diseases, including cancer. The researchers' cell-free protein synthesis platform technology can manufacture large quantities of phosphorylated human proteins for scientific study. This will enable scientists to learn more about their function, structure and role in disease.

Pancreatic cancer stem cells could be 'suffocated' by an anti-diabetic drug Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:19 AM PDT Pancreatic cancer stem cells are virtually addicted to oxygen-based metabolism, and could be 'suffocated' with a drug already used to treat diabetes, new research suggests.

Damage in retinal periphery closely matches loss of blood flow in people with diabetes Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:18 AM PDT A follow-up study has shown that these peripheral lesions, which are not detected by traditional eye imaging, correlate very closely with the loss of retinal blood flow called retinal 'non-perfusion' caused by loss of small blood vessels or capillaries.

Problematic relationship: Small brain models distort contact intensity between neurons Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:18 AM PDT Even the most powerful computers in the world can only simulate one percent of the nerve cells due to memory constraints. For this reason, scientists have turned to downscaled models. However, this downscaling is problematic, as shown by a recent study.

Sensitivity of smell cilia depends on location, length in nasal cavity Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:18 AM PDT Like the hairs they resemble, cilia come in all lengths, from short to long. But unlike the hair on our heads, the length of sensory cilia on nerve cells in our noses is of far more than merely cosmetic significance. Researchers found a location-dependent pattern in cilia length in the mouse nasal cavity that affects sensitivity to odors. The discovery may also have important implications for the study of sight and touch.

Vision testing an effective tool for detecting concussion on the sidelines Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:18 AM PDT A test of rapid number naming detected concussion 86 percent of the time among youth, collegiate and professional athletes, a meta-analysis concludes. When combined with rapid assessments of balance and cognition, the testing battery was able to detect 100 percent of concussions that occurred among athletes in the studies that measured this outcome.

Surgery improves quality of life for patients with chronic sinus infection, sleep dysfunction Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:17 AM PDT Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (sinus infection) and obstructive sleep apnea report a poor quality of life, which is substantially improved following endoscopic sinus surgery, according to a study.

Errant gene turns cells into mobile cancer factories Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:16 AM PDT Scientists have found a key molecular mechanism that underlies deadly behavior in hard-to-treat breast cancer, and have demonstrated how a single master gene, called Sox10, controls if--and to what extent--cells turn into these potentially dangerous factories. This new understanding of Sox10 could help point the way to more efficient therapies for drug-resistant cancers.

Scientists home in on origin of human, chimpanzee facial differences Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:16 AM PDT A study of species-specific regulation of gene expression in chimps and humans has identified regions important in human facial development and variation.

Melatonin and multiple sclerosis: Why MS symptoms may improve as the days get shorter Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:16 AM PDT Researchers have found an explanation that could lead to a deeper understanding of multiple sclerosis and more targeted treatment options for patients. By first looking broadly at possible environmental factors and then deeply at preclinical models of MS, the research team found that melatonin -- a hormone involved in regulating a person's sleep-wake cycle -- may influence MS disease activity.

Frozen embryos as successful as fresh embryos in IVF Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:15 AM PDT IVF cycles using embryos that have been frozen and thawed are just as successful as fresh embryos according to a new report. The report also found a growing number of IVF treatments are using frozen embryos, from 39% of IVF cycles in 2009 to 45% of IVF cycles in 2013.

When it comes to touch, to give is to receive Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:14 AM PDT Have you ever touched someone else and wondered why his or her skin felt so incredibly soft? Well, now researchers present evidence that this experience may often be an illusion.

Human genome editing research is essential, experts say Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:19 AM PDT A consensus statement from global experts in bioethics, stem cell research and science policy, asserts that human genome editing research is essential to scientific knowledge and should be permitted, and there may be morally acceptable uses of the technology in human reproduction.

Discovery offers hope for leukemia relapse post treatment Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:19 AM PDT Targeting exhausted immune cells may change the prognosis for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) relapse after a stem cell transplant, according to researchers.

Natural compound could reduce breast cancer risk in some women Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:15 AM PDT The odds of women being diagnosed with breast cancer increase in postmenopausal women who have taken a combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy; these women also have an increased risk of developing progestin-accelerated breast tumors. Now, researchers have found that luteolin, a natural compound found in herbs such as thyme and parsley as well as vegetables such as celery and broccoli, could reduce the cancer risk for women who have taken hormone replacement therapy.

Upward trend in hepatitis C infection rates among HIV-positive MSM Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:15 AM PDT A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies characterizing the incidence of the sexual transmission of HCV among HIV-positive MSM has been conducted by researchers. The high reinfection rates and the attributable risk analysis suggest the existence of a subset of HIV-positive MSM with recurring sexual exposure to HCV. Approaches to HCV control in this population will need to consider the changing epidemiology of HCV infection in MSM.

Modeling the helicase to understand hepatitis C Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:15 AM PDT NS3 is an enzyme specific to the hepatitis C virus. If developed, a drug capable of recognizing and selectively attacking it could fight the disease without side effects for the body. However, to be able to develop one we need to know more about the behavior of this important protein in the virus replication process. Now scientists have provided a detailed and comprehensive view of the behavior of NS3.

Neolithic skeleton reveals early history of rickets Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:14 AM PDT Rickets has been identified in a Neolithic skeleton from the Scottish island of Tiree, making it the earliest case of the disease in the United Kingdom. The nature of the grave itself - a simple burial rather than a chambered tomb - has raised questions as to how the woman, physically deformed by the disease, may have been treated by her community.

Key without a lock: Only the balance between receptors controls blood vessel development Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:08 AM PDT Tie1 is a receptor on the surface of blood vessel wall cells whose binding partner has not yet been found. Mice whose cells have no Tie1 are not viable. Scientists have now been able to elucidate the complicated molecular mechanism by which Tie1 controls the function of a related receptor called Tie2. Thus, Tie1 regulates essential functions of blood vessels without binding to a growth factor.

Cocoa flavanols lower blood pressure and increase blood vessel function in healthy people Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:08 AM PDT Consuming cocoa flavanols lowers blood pressure, increases flow-mediated vasodilation and improves blood cholesterol profile. Applying the Framingham risk score suggests that cocoa flavanols might therefore be able to reduce age-related risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Changing patient's position helps effectiveness of colonoscopy, especially on one side Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:08 AM PDT Having patients lie on their left side while the right side of their colon is being examined can result in more polyps being found, thus increasing the effectiveness of colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, according to a study.

Key cellular enzyme could be effective drug target in urologic cancer cells Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:15 AM PDT A key cellular enzyme, c-Abl, could be an effective drug target in cancer cells for urologic cancers, such as prostate and kidney, new research indicates. Ongoing research into treatments for kidney cancer is especially important since kidney cancer is known to be resistant to current chemotherapy and radiation.

Invisible health risks from harmful environmental exposures in slum areas Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT As an increasing proportion of the population in low- and middle-income countries migrates to urban slums areas, the risk of illness and death increases due to harmful environmental exposure, an expert warns.

Clearing a path for cancer research Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT Understanding the biological signaling pathways that regulate metabolism and gene expression is challenging, because so many things are happening at once. But this understanding is crucial for knowing how a drug will affect healthy and cancer cells. Researchers have now developed a new computational method to study biological signalling networks in healthy and cancer cells.

How childhood stress can affect female fertility Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT Can events you endured as a child really impact your ability to have children yourself? New research examines the mechanism by which adverse experiences in childhood impact female fertility. Researchers explore the hypothesis that negative experiences in childhood can result in menstrual cycle irregularities, which consequently impact fertility. They relate their hypothesis to life-history theory, which talks of balancing the preservation of one's health and the production of offspring that will survive to reproduce themselves.

Postnatal mental health: Are women getting the support they need? Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT There is a need for postnatal support that encompasses all mental health issues, not only postnatal depression, new research suggests. Common postnatal mental health symptoms include tearfulness, anxiousness, feeling stressed, isolated, lonely, angry and other emotions.

Cancer preventative surgery could become a thing of the past, new research suggests Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT Two new studies looking at the effect the menstrual cycle has on the development of breast and ovarian cancer reveal alternative prevention strategies that may render surgery unnecessary.

Research reveals the placenta's oxygen tanks for early embryos Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT A new role for the placenta has been revealed by researchers who have identified sites which store, and gradually release, oxygen for newly formed embryos in the weeks after the baby's heart is developed.

Your stomach bacteria determines which diet is best for weight reduction Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:14 AM PDT New research enables "tailored" diet advice -- based on our personal gut microbiome -- for persons who want to lose weight and reduce the risk of disease. Systems biologists have, for the first time, successfully identified in detail how some of our most common intestinal bacteria interact during metabolism.

Where flu vaccination rates are higher in adults under 65, lower flu risk for seniors Posted: 10 Sep 2015 05:45 AM PDT Healthy adults who get the flu vaccine may help protect not only themselves but also older adults in their community at higher risk for serious complications from influenza, suggest findings from a new study.

Breast cancer incidence, death rates rising in some economically transitioning countries Posted: 10 Sep 2015 05:45 AM PDT A new study finds breast cancer incidence and death rates are increasing in several low and middle income countries, even as death rates have declined in most high income countries, despite increasing or stable incidence rates.

Hint of increased brain tumor risk five years before diagnosis Posted: 09 Sep 2015 11:21 AM PDT Changes in immune function can occur as long as five years before the diagnosis of a brain tumor that typically produces symptoms only three months before it is detected, new research suggests.

Major complications, delirium associated with adverse events after elective surgery in older adults Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:40 AM PDT Among patients 70 years or older who underwent elective surgery, major complications contributed significantly to a prolonged length of hospital stay while delirium contributed significantly to several adverse outcomes, including length of stay and hospital readmission, according to a study.

Association of low resting heart rate in men, increased violent criminality Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:40 AM PDT A low resting heart rate in late adolescence was associated with increased risk for violent criminality in men later in life, according to a new article. A better understanding of individual-level biological risk factors in the cause of violence could help prevention and intervention efforts, say authors of the study.

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