ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• A new factor in depression? Brain protein discovery could lead to better treatments
• Mechanism impairs blood flow with aging
• 'Body maps' of babies' brains created
• Study defines criteria for MET-driven lung cancer suitable for crizotinib treatment
• Insight on fundamental process of DNA repair
• Dermatologists share tips to stop nail biting
• Increased detection of low-risk tumors driving up thyroid cancer rates, study finds
• Blood, teeth samples accurately predict a criminal's age
• Genome mining effort discovers 19 new natural products in four years
• New drug-like compounds may improve odds of men battling prostate cancer, researchers find
• Rudeness damages medical staff performance
• Continued smoking after MS diagnosis associated with accelerated disease progression
• New guidelines address long-term needs of colorectal cancer survivors
• Lack of adherence to usability testing standards for electronic health record products
• Iron supplementation during pregnancy and risk of malaria in malaria-endemic region
• Outcomes improve for extremely preterm infants
• Study finds high prevalence of diabetes, pre-diabetes in U.S.
• Studying Kangaroo Cartilage Could Help Human Treatment
• Trust game increases rate synchrony
• Employers must be more empathetic with families grieving stillbirths and miscarriages, researcher says
• Biologists zero in on proteins lumican, TNF-alpha as two-step trigger for deadly scar-tissue production
• Pancreatic cancer subtypes discovered in largest gene expression analysis of the disease to-date
• Fine particulate matter associated with slight increased mortality in Houston
• New molecule found to prevent preterm birth
• MicroRNAs are digested, not absorbed
• Shouldering the burden of evolution
• Physicians have greater ability to help child abuse victims
• A possible cure for allergies?
• The Achilles' heel of HIV
• False alarm from the body may be responsible for acute pancreatitis
• Explaining the increase in dengue epidemics in Singapore
• Link between insomnia, control of emotion
• Thinking people are born fat or born thin is bad for your health
• Brain damage during stroke may point to source of addiction
• Study creates cell immunity to parasite that infects 50 million
• Surgical research stops suffering for millions of impoverished citizens
• Dually noted: New CRISPR-Cas9 strategy edits genes two ways
• Rare melanoma carries unprecedented burden of mutations
• Single molecule detection machine for nucleic acid analytics

A new factor in depression? Brain protein discovery could lead to better treatments Posted: 08 Sep 2015 03:04 PM PDT Low. Down. Less than normal. That's what the word depression means, and what people with depression often feel like. But sometimes, depression can mean too much of something -- as new research shows.The discovery, about a protein called fibroblast growth factor 9 or FGF9, goes against previous findings that depressed brains often have less of key components than non-depressed brains.

Mechanism impairs blood flow with aging Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:43 AM PDT With the world's elderly population expected to double by 2050, understanding how aging affects the body is an important focus for researchers globally. Cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death worldwide, often is associated with aging arteries that restrict blood flow. Now, researchers have identified an age-related cause of arterial dysfunction, a finding that could lead to future treatments for some forms of vascular disease.

'Body maps' of babies' brains created Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:42 AM PDT Body maps, which show how certain parts of the brain correspond to the body's topography, have been studied extensively in adult humans and other primates. But now American researchers are among the first scientists worldwide to study body maps in infants, which can provide crucial information about how babies develop a sense of their physical selves and their earliest social relationships.

Study defines criteria for MET-driven lung cancer suitable for crizotinib treatment Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:41 AM PDT Many cancers include increased copies of the gene MET. But in which cases is MET driving the cancer and in which do these increased copies happen to "ride along" with other molecular abnormalities that are the true cause of the disease? A study defines criteria for MET-amplified cancer likely sensitive to treatment with crizotinib.

Insight on fundamental process of DNA repair Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:41 AM PDT Scientists have identified a new component of the molecular machinery a cell uses to repair damaged DNA. The discovery adds important knowledge about a fundamental life process that protects from diseases such as cancer.

Dermatologists share tips to stop nail biting Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:11 AM PDT Breaking a nail is one thing. Breaking a nail-biting habit is another, say dermatologists. Nail biting typically begins in childhood and can continue through adulthood, and the side effects can be more than cosmetic, say dermatologists.

Increased detection of low-risk tumors driving up thyroid cancer rates, study finds Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:51 AM PDT Low-risk cancers that do not have any symptoms and presumably will not cause problems in the future are responsible for the rapid increase in the number of new cases of thyroid cancer diagnosed over the past decade, according to a study. According to the study authors, nearly one-third of these recent cases were diagnosed when clinicians used high-tech imaging even when no symptoms of thyroid disease were present.

Blood, teeth samples accurately predict a criminal's age Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:34 AM PDT Forensic biomedical scientists have developed a test to predict individuals' age on the basis of blood or teeth samples. This test may be particularly useful for the police, as it can help track down criminals or identify human remains.

Genome mining effort discovers 19 new natural products in four years Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:33 AM PDT It took a small group of researchers only four years -- a blink of an eye in pharmaceutical terms -- to scour a collection of 10,000 bacterial strains and isolate the genes responsible for making 19 unique, previously unknown phosphonate natural products, researchers report. Each of these products is a potential new drug. One of them has already been identified as an antibiotic.

New drug-like compounds may improve odds of men battling prostate cancer, researchers find Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:33 AM PDT Researchers have discovered new drug-like compounds that could ultimately be developed into medicines that offer better odds of survival to prostate cancer patients. The new compounds target the human protein P-gp, which causes resistance against a majority of the drugs currently available for treating cancer and HIV/AIDS. The new compounds, discovered via computer-generated models, are good candidates for development into drugs since the compounds have low toxicity to noncancerous cells.

Rudeness damages medical staff performance Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:14 AM PDT Incivility among medical staff members has grave consequences for quality of patient care and diagnostic accuracy, a new study reports. For the purpose of the research, 24 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) teams from hospitals around Israel participated in a simulation exercise involving a premature infant suffering from the common but severe medical complication necrotizing enterocolitis (in which bowel tissue disintegrates).

Continued smoking after MS diagnosis associated with accelerated disease progression Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:12 AM PDT Continued smoking after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) appears to be associated with accelerated disease progression compared with those patients who quit smoking, according to an article.

New guidelines address long-term needs of colorectal cancer survivors Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:12 AM PDT New American Cancer Society Cancer Survivorship Care guidelines released today provide primary care clinicians with recommendations for providing comprehensive care to the estimated 1.2 million survivors of colorectal cancer in the United States.

Lack of adherence to usability testing standards for electronic health record products Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:24 AM PDT The lack of adherence to usability testing standards among several widely used electronic health record (EHR) products that were certified as having met these requirements may be a major factor contributing to the poor usability of EHRs, according to a study.

Iron supplementation during pregnancy and risk of malaria in malaria-endemic region Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:24 AM PDT Among women in a malaria-endemic region in Kenya, daily iron supplementation during pregnancy did not result in an increased risk of malaria, according to a study. Iron supplementation did result in increased birth weight, gestational duration, neonatal length, and a decreased risk of low birth weight and prematurity.

Outcomes improve for extremely preterm infants Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:24 AM PDT Over the last 20 years, complications have decreased and survival has improved for extremely preterm infants, according to a study. Evaluation of current in-hospital complications and mortality data among extremely preterm infants is important in counseling families and considering new interventions to improve outcomes, experts say.

Study finds high prevalence of diabetes, pre-diabetes in U.S. Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:24 AM PDT In 2011-2012, the estimated prevalence of diabetes among U.S. adults was 12 percent to 14 percent and the prevalence of prediabetes was 37 percent to 38 percent, indicating that about half of the U.S. adult population has either diabetes or prediabetes, according to a study. Though data from recent years suggests that the increasing prevalence of diabetes may be leveling off.

Studying Kangaroo Cartilage Could Help Human Treatment Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:24 AM PDT Understanding the biomechanics of natural cartilage could lead to the development of better artificial joint implants. That's exactly the goal of researchers. The team studied kangaroo cartilage as an analogue for human tissue, and found that a network of collagen protein close to the surface played an important role in helping the cartilage absorb forces without damaging.

Trust game increases rate synchrony Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:22 AM PDT When people build trust, their hearts get in sync and beat as one, a new study shows. When a public goods game is used to introduce trust conditions during a cooperative task, participants' heart rate arousal and synchrony is increased.

Employers must be more empathetic with families grieving stillbirths and miscarriages, researcher says Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:40 AM PDT With the rate of stillbirths now topping that of infants who die before their first birthdays, employers — and society in general — must become more empathetic to families grieving the death of a baby through stillbirth or miscarriage, says a researcher.

Biologists zero in on proteins lumican, TNF-alpha as two-step trigger for deadly scar-tissue production Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:40 AM PDT Scientists have made more progress in understanding the process behind scar-tissue formation and wound healing – specifically, a breakthrough in fibroblast-to-fibrocyte signaling involving two key proteins – that could lead to new advances in treating and preventing fibrotic disease.

Pancreatic cancer subtypes discovered in largest gene expression analysis of the disease to-date Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:40 AM PDT A new study on pancreatic cancer paves the way for potential personalized medicine approaches for the deadly cancer type.

Fine particulate matter associated with slight increased mortality in Houston Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:40 AM PDT Fine particulate matter released from a variety of sources in Houston was associated with slight increased mortality risk from 2000 to 2011, according to research.

New molecule found to prevent preterm birth Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:38 AM PDT Premature births are intimately linked with inflammation of the uterine tissue, a biological response which induces contractions and preterm labor. In their search for a mean to prevent this phenomenon and complications related to deliveries occurring before 37 weeks of gestation, researchers have discovered an agent that shows efficacy in inhibiting inflammation and preventing or delaying uterine contractions and premature delivery in murine models – without adversely affecting the fetus or the mother. This discovery is a giant step towards preventing prematurity, which is the world's leading cause of infant death and the origin of potentially severe, long-lasting physical, intellectual or psychological impairment for the 10% of infants born preterm world-wide.

MicroRNAs are digested, not absorbed Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:36 AM PDT There has been a lot of controversy in recent years over the issue of whether exogenous microRNA molecules can be absorbed from food and even have a physiological effect. A new study using mouse models settles the question by demonstrating that the posited dietary uptake does not take place. This questions the potentially promising concept of creating functional foods based on microRNAs.

Shouldering the burden of evolution Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:12 AM PDT What the last common ancestor between humans and African apes looked like has remained unclear. A new study now shows that important clues lie in the shoulder.

Physicians have greater ability to help child abuse victims Posted: 08 Sep 2015 07:12 AM PDT New state laws in Pennsylvania are shaping the fight against child abuse through physicians and other healthcare providers.

A possible cure for allergies? Posted: 08 Sep 2015 06:41 AM PDT Researchers discovered a mechanism that stops the body reacting with an excessive immune reaction. This could be the basis for a new treatment for allergies, they say.

The Achilles' heel of HIV Posted: 08 Sep 2015 06:40 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how cells in the body can detect the genetic material of so-called retroviruses. The pathogen of the immunodeficiency disease AIDS, the HI-1 virus, also belongs to this group. At the same time, HIV appears to circumvent this important defense mechanism.

False alarm from the body may be responsible for acute pancreatitis Posted: 08 Sep 2015 06:40 AM PDT Researchers may have discovered one of the keys to understanding how the body develops acute pancreatitis. The results offer hope for the development of drugs that specifically target the disease.

Explaining the increase in dengue epidemics in Singapore Posted: 08 Sep 2015 06:39 AM PDT Population growth and increased temperature are the most important explanations to the significant increase of dengue incidence in Singapore since the 1970s, researchers have found.

Link between insomnia, control of emotion Posted: 08 Sep 2015 06:39 AM PDT People who are losing the ability to regulate their emotions may be more likely to suffer from insomnia. And if they do, that insomnia is more likely to become persistent, research suggests. Researchers surveyed 2333 adult members of the general public in Sweden. They were asked to complete a series of questionnaires on emotional regulation and a series on insomnia. The researchers found that a reduced ability to regulate emotions was associated with an 11 per cent increased risk of developing a new bout of insomnia or reporting persistent insomnia.

Thinking people are born fat or born thin is bad for your health Posted: 08 Sep 2015 05:28 AM PDT Though the belief that DNA determines weight is highly debated, it appears to be shaping people's lives. A new study finds that those who believe that weight is outside of their control have less healthy BMIs, make poorer food choices, and report lower levels of personal wellbeing than those who don't.

Brain damage during stroke may point to source of addiction Posted: 08 Sep 2015 05:28 AM PDT A region of the brain -- called the insular cortex -- may hold the key to treating addiction, a pair of studies suggest. Scientists have come to this conclusion after finding that smokers who suffered a stroke in the insular cortex were far more likely to quit smoking and experience fewer and less severe withdrawal symptoms than those with strokes in other parts of the brain.

Study creates cell immunity to parasite that infects 50 million Posted: 08 Sep 2015 05:28 AM PDT Multi-institution, multidisciplinary study applies cancer science technique to field of infectious diseases to pinpoint human genes that allow parasite E. histolytica to cause cell death.

Surgical research stops suffering for millions of impoverished citizens Posted: 07 Sep 2015 08:39 AM PDT Mosquito mesh cannot just prevent malaria, but can also be used to reduce the suffering caused by groin hernia. A surgical operation using mosquito mesh to repair the hernia can give millions of people a chance at a better life, according to a recent study.

Dually noted: New CRISPR-Cas9 strategy edits genes two ways Posted: 07 Sep 2015 08:37 AM PDT Until now, genome engineering and gene regulation required different variants of the Cas9 protein; but now, a new approach suggests that both tasks can be achieved using one type of Cas9, allowing scientists to increase the complexity of gene editing functions and their overall control of genes.

Rare melanoma carries unprecedented burden of mutations Posted: 07 Sep 2015 07:14 AM PDT A rare, deadly form of skin cancer known as desmoplasmic melanoma (DM) may possess the highest burden of gene mutations of any cancer, suggesting that immunotherapy may be a promising approach for treatment, according to an international team of scientists. One of these mutations, never before observed in any cancer, may shield nascent DM tumors from destruction by the immune system and allow further mutations to develop.

Single molecule detection machine for nucleic acid analytics Posted: 07 Sep 2015 07:14 AM PDT Researchers have created the Single Molecule Detection Machine for the analysis of ultra-small amounts of nucleic acid. The system can be used to identify biomarkers that are early indicators of a disease or allow forecasting the response to a therapy.

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